VERO BEACH — A 39-year-old man was arrested after deputies said he pointed a shotgun with an attached serrated blade at his father before threatening to kill him.
Philip Marshall Kern
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
The man – identified as Philip Marshall Kern – fought with his father before telling him, “I will blow your head off,” reports show. The father said he was in fear for his life, deputies said.
Deputies arrested Kern, of the 100 block of Bimini Cay Circle, on charges of aggravated assault with a firearm and violation of risk protection order. Kern was held Monday at the Indian River County Jail on $75,000 bond.
Indian River County deputies responded to a disturbance about 8 p.m. Sunday at Kern’s home. Dispatch advised deputies that Kern was armed with a shotgun and several knives, reports show.
Kern’s father told deputies his son had not taken his medication for several months, causing his irrational behavior. When Kern threatened to burn his father’s house down Sunday, the father told Kern to get his belongings and leave the home.
Kern fought with his father before running to the master bedroom and grabbing his father’s long barrel shotgun. The two wrestled over the gun before the father removed the bump stock from the weapon, making it inoperable, deputies said.
Kern told deputies he taped the blade on the barrel of the shotgun because “there is bad people after him,” reports show. Kern denied threatening his father, deputies said.
Deputies also found other weapons, including a pellet gun in Kern’s backpack and a long barrel with an attached serrated blade in the home, reports show. Deputies said Kern was issued a risk protection order Thursday and was prohibited from being in possession of the shotgun.
Deputies arrested Kern and took him to the county jail. Kern has an arraignment at 8:45 a.m. Nov. 1, court records show.