Virginia man charged with attempted murder

A Virginia man has been charged with attempted murder of a family member.

Police say 30-year-old Robert James Cope is facing six felony charges, including Second Degree Attempted Murder, for a shooting incident that happened on July 8.

According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement was called to a home on 9th Street South in Virginia, to the report that Cope had shot his brother in the head. When police arrived, Cope was covered in blood and detained by authorities. The victim was found in an upstairs bedroom, lying on the floor unresponsive. The victim was airlifted to the hospital and was put on a ventilator after his first surgery.

The complaint says one of the responding officers located the firearm in the hallway, ejected an unspent cartridge from the chamber, and found a spent casing in the hallway.

Before he was taken into custody, law enforcement say Cope said, “after I went to the bathroom, I came back out and then all of a sudden, I had a gun.” The criminal complaint says while being transported to jail, Cope said, “I woke up from a dream and was told to shoot my brother.”

According to law enforcement, Cope has three felony convictions for Threats of Violence in the last ten years, and a felony conviction for Domestic Assault.