Man shot after fight at family Christmas dinner in Indian River County, officials say
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY −A shooting at a family Christmas dinner led to the hospitalization of one man for a gunshot wound and the arrest of another on an aggravated battery charge.
What started as an argument involving a man and several visitors at a holiday get-together in a home in the 4500 block of 58th Avenue, ended with a 32-year-old man shot in the hip in the home's front yard just before 5 p.m. Monday, according to court records.
Sean Harris, 62, was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and jailed on $50,000 bail shortly after 8:30 p.m. that night, jail records show.
According to reported accounts of the altercation by Harris and others at the home to deputies, an argument that started over one person's clothing later turned into a physical fight in the driveway.
Harris told deputies an argument began in the home's kitchen because he did not like that one of the visitors was "wearing his pants low."
The man left the home and sat in a vehicle outside, according to the arrest affidavit.
As some of the visitors began to leave, records state Harris told deputies he got a handgun and put it in the home's garage, then followed the party outside.
There, he said, he got in a fight with one family member and was punched in the head by the man he shot and whose clothing he said started the argument.
Other people interviewed by deputies said Harris was confrontational with several family members throughout the evening and that the man exited the car to break up the fight between Harris and another person.
According to reported statements to deputies, Harris retreated to the garage and emerged with a silver handgun and fired twice at the man as he returned to the vehicle, striking him once in the lower right hip region.
According to records, Harris told deputies he shot twice as the man walked away to a vehicle in the yard of the neighboring home because he was "scared because of being hit by multiple people," although he said no other weapons were shown that evening.
Sgt. Kevin Jaworski said the man was struck by .357 round fired from a handgun.
Reports show the man was taken by other visitors from the home to the hospital where deputies conducted interviews.
"He is expected to survive," said Jaworski.
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Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey @coreyarwood, or reach him by phone at 772-978-2246.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Man shot after fights break out at family Christmas dinner in IRC
