Son of 'Barney' Creator Arrested for Attempted Murder

Someone clearly did not take Barney’s message of loving thy neighbor to heart.

Patrick Leach, the son of the co-creator of “Barney and Friends” Sheryl Leach, has been arrested for attempted murder.

Former schoolteacher Sheryl may have been inspired to create the happy, purple dinosaur in the late 1980’s by Leach’s childish love of the extinct animals, but apparently Leach has outgrown that innocent stage of life at 27. He was arrested Wednesday after shooting a neighbor in the chest over trespassing issues.

Sounds like little Patrick did not learn to share.

Leach shot his Malibu neighbor after a dispute, using a large-caliber handgun, and fled in his SUV, leaving the neighbor bleeding in the driveway.

He was later caught and arrested, but released on $1 million bail. Sheriff spokesman Steve Whitmore says this has surrounding neighbors concerned.

"We are certainly monitoring the situation," Whitmore said. "We are doing our very best to keep that individual and neighborhood in our sights."

The victim, 49-year-old Eric Shanks, “is lucky to be alive but he is going to make it," at the UCLA hospital, Whitmore said

The victim, who was not identified, was shot in the chest and the round exited his shoulder, Whitmore said. He was taken in critical condition to a nearby hospital and was expected to recover.

No word yet from mama Sheryl, who reportedly lives in Greenwich, Connecticut, on why her son didn’t quite take the loveable purple dinosaur’s words of good wishes and well being to heart.