Man Drives 8 Hours to Attempt Murder of Father Amid Family Dispute, Deputies Say

Authorities say that Sean Bigwood, left, is the armed suspect seen at right. They claim he tried to murder his father.

A man allegedly drove for hours to his father's house in Brevard County, Florida, and opened fire over 30 times in an attempt to kill him, according to local deputies. The incident, which unfolded amid a longstanding family dispute, left the 76-year-old father and his friend injured but alive.

On February 15, Sean Denis Bigwood, 52, allegedly shot his father and his father's friend. The father suffered a graze and a gunshot wound, while his friend was hit ten times, with a bullet fragment in his abdomen. Despite their injuries, both men survived, and the father immediately suspected his son, even though the shooter was masked.

“I can’t believe my a—hole son shot me up,” the father said in a 911 call. He later described the shooter to investigators as being similar in size to his son. Both victims had been setting up a pig trap at the father's home before retreating inside for a beer. The shooter, wearing a ski mask, fired through a hurricane-grade glass door.

The father, speaking from the hospital, detailed a history of disputes with Bigwood. He mentioned that his son had attempted to have him declared incompetent to care for himself after heart surgery and tried to place him in a nursing home, a bid that ultimately failed. Additionally, Bigwood allegedly tried to sell his father's New Hampshire property without his knowledge.

The father insisted he had no enemies other than his son and had not spoken to him for several months. Investigators found 26 bullet holes and 32 spent 9 mm cartridge casings at the scene.

Evidence, including surveillance footage, suggests that Bigwood abruptly left his job in Rock Hill, South Carolina, at 10:57 a.m. on February 15 and drove to his father's home in Grant-Valkaria, Florida, an eight-hour trip. He returned to work the next day, arriving late without notice.

Bigwood allegedly altered his vehicle’s appearance during the roundtrip. When contacted by authorities, he initially expressed surprise about the shooting and inquired about his father's condition but later denied being the shooter.

Bigwood was arrested in South Carolina and transferred to the Brevard County jail in Florida, where he faces charges of two counts of attempted premeditated murder with a firearm, burglary with battery, and armed burglary of a dwelling. His arraignment is set for July 2.