Indiana judge in bizarre Natalia Grace case shot in home attack as police hunt suspect

The Indiana justice who was changeable astatine his location by an chartless gunman antecedently made headlines successful the high-profile lawsuit of Natalia Grace, a Ukrainian exile accused of masquerading arsenic a child.

The shooter, who remains astatine large, allegedly knocked connected the entranceway of the location of Judge Steven Meyer and his wife, Kimberly Meyer, astir 2:15 p.m. Sunday earlier firing a gunshot done the beforehand door, according to dispatch audio obtained by Fox News Digital. 

Steven Meyer was changeable successful the limb and Kimberly Meyer was changeable successful the hip, according to authorities. The joined mates subsequently received aesculapian attraction and were listed successful unchangeable information pursuing the shooting. 

Judge Meyer antecedently made nationalist headlines successful 2022 portion presiding implicit the trials of then-married mates Michael and Kristine Barnett, the adoptive parents of Grace. 

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An Indiana justice and his woman were wounded successful a Lafayette shooting Sunday day arsenic local, authorities and national authorities investigate. (Tippecanoe Superior Court)

Grace, a Ukrainian orphan with dwarfism whose adopted parents assertion she pretended to beryllium a kid and terrorized their family, was adopted by the Indiana mates successful April 2010. At the time, the Barnetts believed she was a 6-year-old. 

However, aft six months of alleged unusual behavior, the Barnetts claimed their girl was really an big pistillate scamming their family. 

The mates pointed to Grace’s disability, a signifier of dwarfism called spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, giving her a tiny framework that near her existent property chartless without aesculapian testing. Additionally, owed to flooding astatine the Ukrainian infirmary wherever Grace was born, her commencement certificate was mislaid – making it intolerable to verify her age. 

According to Investigation Discovery’s documentary, "The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks," the Barnetts called Grace a "con artist" and "sociopath," accusing her of hoarding knives, placing thumbtacks connected the crushed facing upward and attempting to poison her adoptive parent utilizing Pine-Sol. 

UKRAINIAN ORPHAN NATALIA GRACE DENIES PLOT TO MURDER AMERICAN ADOPTIVE PARENTS, PRETENDING TO BE CHILD

A screenshot of Natalia Grace connected the "Dr. Phil Show." (Dr. Phil)

"She threatened to stab my sons, resistance their bodies extracurricular and hide them underneath the deck," Michael said successful the documentary.

"I committedness you wrong 5 years idiosyncratic is dead," helium added. 

However, Grace claimed the mates abused her portion she was surviving nether their roof, revealing successful the documentary that she was allegedly pepper-sprayed 3 times and fixed a triple-dose of her prescribed bosom medication. 

Natalia Grace is pictured smiling arsenic Kristine Barnett looks distant astatine a computer. The Ukrainian orphan with dwarfism spoke retired against her adoptive parents' claims that she masqueraded arsenic an adult.  (Investigation Discovery)

"In each prevarication is simply a hidden truth, but you’ve gotta excavation capable to beryllium capable to spot it," Grace said successful the series. "They’re not going to get distant with this. This is my broadside of the story."

The Barnetts successfully petitioned a Marion County tribunal to alteration Grace's commencement twelvemonth from 2003 to 1989, efficaciously making her legally 22 years old.

ADOPTED GIRL ACCUSED OF 'MASQUERADING' AS 6-YEAR-OLD SPEAKS OUT IN NEW DOC: 'DO I LOOK LIKE A MONSTER TO YOU?'

Michael and Kristine Barnett, featured successful their mugshots, were charged with aggregate counts of neglect of a babelike successful 2019. But a assemblage recovered Michael not blameworthy successful 2022, and charges against Kristine were aboriginal dropped.  (Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office)

According to the documentary, the mates moved Grace into an flat successful Lafayette, Indiana, and fled to Canada with their 3 biologic sons. Shortly aft moving in, a neighbour noticed Grace struggled with feeding herself and maintaining basal household chores. 

In September 2019, the Barnetts were charged with aggregate counts of neglecting a dependent, owed to Grace's disability.

During Michael Barnett’s trial, Judge Meyer ordered that Grace could lone beryllium referred to arsenic an adult, pointing to the court’s erstwhile ruling regarding her commencement year, according to The Exponent. Judge Meyer besides reportedly issued a gag bid connected each parties aft the mates went connected "Good Morning America" successful 2019. 

Michael Barnett was recovered not blameworthy by a assemblage successful 2022, portion Kristine Barnett’s charges were dismissed by Judge Meyer successful 2024.

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Two radical were changeable astir 2:15 p.m. Sunday successful the 1700 artifact of Mill Pond Lane successful Lafayette. The location is the location of Tippecanoe Superior 2 Judge Steve Meyer and his wife, Kim, according to neighbors. Police said the 2 wounded successful the shooting are stable. (Ron Wilkins/Journal & Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Grace has not been named arsenic a fishy successful the Meyers’ shooting, and has not been charged with a crime. 

The Lafayette Police Department and some Michael and Kristine Barnett did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for remark regarding the case. Fox News Digital was incapable to find Grace for comment. 

No arrests person been made and officials person not released a statement of a suspect. It was unclear however galore shots were fired, though constabulary reportedly recovered ammunition casings astatine the scene. 

In a written statement, Kimberly Meyer spoke retired pursuing the shooting, thanking investigators and archetypal responders for their handling of the incident.

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"I person large assurance successful the Lafayette Police Department’s probe and privation to convey each the agencies progressive for their work," she said, successful part. "We are besides incredibly grateful for the outpouring of enactment from the community; everyone has been truthful benignant and compassionate."

Authorities urged anyone with accusation to interaction the Lafayette Police Department astatine 765-807-1200.

Christina Coulter contributed to this report.