Authorities say that Sean Bigwood, left, is the armed suspect seen at right. They claim he tried to murder his father. (Images: Brevard County Sheriff’s Office)
A man abruptly left work and drove hours to his father’s house, where he opened fire more than 30 times in an attempt to murder the man, according to deputies in Brevard County, Florida. All this allegedly happened amid a dispute spanning the eastern United States.
Authorities say that the Feb. 15 shooting resulted in the 76-year-old dad suffering a gunshot graze and a gunshot wound, and his friend suffering 10 gunshot wounds, with a bullet fragment in the abdomen. But both men survived, and the father quickly suspected his son, Sean Denis Bigwood, 52, though the suspect was wearing a ski mask, deputies said in a Facebook post and arrest affidavit viewed by Law&Crime.
“I can’t believe my a–hole son shot me up,” the father said in a 911 call.
Later, speaking to investigators, he described the shooter as his son’s size.
Both victims had been at the father’s home, setting up a pig trap that night. They went inside to drink a beer. Then a shooter, wearing a ski mask, opened fire from the other side of “a hurricane grade glass-paned door.”
Speaking from the hospital, the father told investigators he had a history of disputes with his son. The man had gotten heart surgery, and Sean Bigwood tried to get him deemed incompetent to care for himself and attempted to put him in a nursing home. That attempt failed. The father said, in the affidavit’s words, “there was nothing wrong with him, and the court system determined he was competent.”
Amid the heart surgery, however, Sean Bigwood allegedly also tried to sell his father’s New Hampshire property without the man knowing.
The 76-year-old dad said he had no enemies. No one, “besides his son,” had any reason to hurt him. He recalled that it had been several months since they last spoke.
Investigators found at least 26 bullet holes at the scene and found 32 spent 9 mm cartridge casings in the back patio near the back door of the father’s home.
Investigators cite surveillance footage and other evidence in asserting that Sean Bigwood abruptly drove from Rock Hill, South Carolina, on Feb. 15 and made the eight-hour trip to his father’s home in Grant-Valkaria, Florida. For example, on Feb. 15, he allegedly clocked in at work as expected at 4:55 a.m. but left hours early at 10:57 a.m. He was scheduled to leave at 3:25 p.m., deputies said.
The following morning, he was scheduled to show up at 4:55 a.m. but, without notice, showed up later at 7:48 a.m., they wrote.
Investigators claim that he used material to change his vehicle’s appearance during the roundtrip between South Carolina and Florida.
Authorities said they got in touch with the son during the investigation.
“Oh, s—,” he allegedly said when first told about a gunman opening fire on his father. Investigators claim that at the time, he did not ask about the incident and simply inquired, “So he’s not conscious, he can’t talk?”
He later denied being the shooter, authorities said.
Bigwood was arrested in South Carolina last week and booked into the Brevard County jail in Florida on Saturday. Charges are two counts of attempted premeditated murder with a firearm and a count each of burglary with a battery and armed burglary of a dwelling. His arraignment is set for July 2.
More Law&Crime coverage: 911 dispatcher heard father murdered by son, who drew pentagrams and ‘666’ throughout the house, police say
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