ROGERSVILLE — A cancer patient is charged with assault after he was accused of shooting the man who reportedly pulled out his feeding tube during a fight, authorities said.

Jerry Fuqua, 61, Lauderdale 608, Rogersville, turned himself in to authorities Wednesday, according to Lauderdale County Sheriff Ronnie
Willis.

Fuqua is accused of shooting Jerry Carter Gray, 46, also of Rogersville, said Chief Investigator Travis Clemmons. Gray was shot once in the upper arm and was flown from the scene of the shooting to Huntsville Hospital, Clemmons said.

“From what we’ve been told, the bullet broke his arm,” Clemmons said. “It’s likely he will be released from the hospital (today).”

Clemmons said the shooting was in retaliation from a fight between the two men that took place Tuesday evening at an Elgin residence.

“During the fight, apparently Gray pulled (Fuqua’s) feeding tube out,” Clemmons said. “Fuqua had to be taken to Huntsville Hospital (Tuesday night) where he had to be treated and the feeding tube was re-inserted.”

Clemmons said Fuqua returned home from the hospital around
1 a.m. Wednesday.

“(On Wednesday morning) Gray is down the road outside a house and Fuqua gets a gun and drives down the road, pulls up and shoots him,” Clemmons said. “After he shoots Gray, (Fuqua) drives back to his house.”

Clemmons said the shooting took place outside a residence on Lauderdale 608 in a subdivision called Fuqua Heights off Lamb’s Ferry Road south of Rogersville city
limits.

Investigators said Gray was at a residence a few houses from Fuqua’s when the shooting took place.

“He was outside, talking with some friends,” Clemmons said.

Authorities said Gray told deputies at the scene who shot him.

Investigators said it is believed Gray was shot with a .40-caliber pistol. Clemmons said someone at Fuqua’s house took the gun and threw it into the woods.

“We have found a gun, a .40-caliber pistol, that we believe was used in the shooting,” Clemmons said.

Authorities said after talking with Fuqua, authorities decided to allow family members to take him to the Sheriff’s Department where he was charged and taken to the Lauderdale County Detention Center.

Clemmons said charges could be pending against Gray for his actions against Fuqua during the fight.

Tom Smith can be reached at 256-740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.