• Tweet
• Share
• Email
• Print

Appleton-- An Oshkosh man who almost lost his life at the hands of his brother-in-law, is getting support from the community.  24-year-old Christopher Andreas opened fire on his brother-in-law Christopher Garland at a family gathering in the town of Clayton. Andreas was later found "mentally incompetent" to stand trial and the case has been delayed.

Christmas Eve turned into a crime scene for the Garland family last year. Police say Andreas allegedly shot his brother in law Christopher Garland nearly killing him and leaving him in a wheelchair. Garland says he forgives his brother in law, who is mentally ill.  "I was upset but if I live with that anger and that feeling in me forever it's just going to make my life miserable i want to make the best of my life, what I’ve got, for my four kids,” Garland said.

The benefit at Jonathan’s Italian Bistro in Appleton was the first full scale event for the Garlands. The organizer is a family friend who was listening to the police scanner the night of the shooting. “That really hit home, the fact of how horrific we thought it was without knowing who it was now that we know who it is we figure we got to do something to help these people out because you know they've got a new journey ahead of them that's going to be really hard,” said Walter Phillips, chairman of the Christopher Garland Benefit Committee.

Organizers hope to raise up to $100,000 to help the Garlands pay off their mortgage. The family has been since set back with medical bills and Christopher cannot work.