A jury convicted a Sebastian man for his involvement in a shootout with the Sebastian Police Department at Earl’s Hideaway Lounge in 2017.
Ward Kenyon was found guilty on three felony counts. Among these, the most serious was the attempted second-degree murder of a law enforcement official. According to the jury’s verdict, Kenyon was found guilty of:
- Tampering with Firearm Serial Number (Felony)
- Illegally Carrying a Concealed Firearm (Felony)
- Attempted Second Degree Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer with a Firearm
The incident occurred in 2017 when the police tried to arrest Kenyon inside the Sebastian bar on an active warrant.
As police attempted to detain Kenyon, he resisted, and a struggle ensued near a pool table, which, according to investigators, a firearm went off, injuring a Sebastian Police officer in the foot. However, detectives could not identify who fired the shot that injured the officer.
Police said Kenyon had two firearms in the bar during the shootout.
Kenyon faces up to life in prison; he will be sentenced by 19th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Nicole Menz on July 31, 2023.
