The man accused of shooting a 14-year-old boy over two dozen times with a paintball gun pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday.

Edwin Perez, 21, faces aggravated assault charges after he allegedly shot Brian Caballo multiple times with the paintball gun, causing numerous welts on Caballo’s body. The teen was hospitalized overnight due to the injuries.

News 12 New Jersey previously reported that Perez is the brother of one of Caballo’s friends from school.

Prosecutors said Tuesday that Perez attacked Caballo because his brother told him that Caballo stole his vape pen while visiting the family’s home. But Caballo’s mother, Carolina Vazquez, says that this is not true.

The judge ordered Perez to remain in jail until his trial. Prosecutors say that the Perez family has tried to intimidate Caballo’s family.

“There’s been attempts to obstruct. There's been attempts to threaten the victim and I submit to you if the defendant is released that will only increase,” Assistant Prosecutor Nubar Kasaryan told the judge.

Prosecutors say that Caballo was so frightened by the attack that he is now being home-schooled.

But Perez’s attorney Frank Sciro argued that Perez should be put on home detention. He says that being kept behind bars is too severe for the incident that occurred.

"He lost his temper and shot him and thank God the kid's better. I bought my grandson a paintball gun and thank God he knows not to use it improperly,” Sciro said.

Perez was charged with weapons offenses, endangering the welfare of a child and aggravated assault. He had previously pleaded guilty to a drug distribution charge in Bergen County and was to be sentenced the day after he surrendered in the paintball shooting.