On a December morning in Harrison, Arkansas, a family business became the scene of a fatal confrontation that would end a man's life and lead to his son's arrest. Shawn Brewer, a 50-year-old White/Caucasian male, was shot and killed on December 15, 2023, at a business located at 1925 Capps Road. The business was owned by the Brewer family. The Harrison Police Department responded to a shooting call at the location around 7:45 a.m. and found Shawn Brewer inside with bullet wounds.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Upon their arrival, officers encountered Shawn Brewer's son, 23-year-old Michael Alexander Brewer, exiting the building. Michael had blood on his hands and was on his phone. He was taken into custody at the scene without incident. The investigation that followed revealed a troubled family history. Michael Brewer alleged that he and his mother had endured years of physical abuse at the hands of his father. He told investigators that on the morning of the shooting, he and his father had been in a physical altercation.
Following the altercation, Michael Brewer stated that he retrieved a handgun and shot his father. He was initially charged with capital murder and held in the Boone County Jail without bond. In a later court proceeding, Michael Brewer entered a guilty plea to the lesser charge of second-degree murder. This plea agreement resulted in a sentence of ten years in the Arkansas Department of Correction, followed by a ten-year suspended sentence. His defense attorney had filed motions to suppress physical evidence and a statement Michael had given to law enforcement, arguing a violation of his constitutional rights. The case's resolution through a plea deal brought a conclusion to the legal chapter of this family tragedy.
