A temporary protective order was in place against the man who opened fire on his estranged wife and her 4-year-old son early Thursday in Temple in an attack that left the boy seriously injured and claimed the lives of his mother and grandmother. Matthew Splittgerber, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Shelly Splittgerber, 36, sought and received the temporary order Wednesday morning against her estranged husband, Matthew Splittgerber, citing family violence as the grounds for the order and listing stalking and harassing texts as evidence that she and her son were in danger.
Matthew Splittgerber opened fire on her and her 4-year-old son, Corden Fidler, as they left their house early Thursday morning across from Lamar Midle School in Temple.
The boy, who was shot at least four times, once in the head, was taken to McLane Children’s Hospital.
Corden Fidler remained in intensive care Friday at McLane Children’s Hospital in Temple.
“He He has multiple wounds and his head wound is open to allow for swelling. His brain will swell for about 48 more hours and then they will start testing his brain function more,” an update posted on a GoFundMe page said.
He’s scheduled for surgery Saturday to repair his colon and ureter, which were damaged in the shooting, according to a later update Friday.
“He is very swollen from getting a massive amount of fluids and his brain doing what it is supposed to do,” the post said.
The neurosurgeon who operated on the boy on Thursday said “he has no ruptured arteries in his brain,” the post said.
“This is really, really good news.”