NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A Norfolk man will serve two years in prison after he pleaded guilty to shooting his neighbor and his neighbor’s friend last year.
Sean Paul Knight, 35, received the sentenced on Friday in Norfolk Circuit Court, the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office said in a release.
Judge Jerrauld C. Jones accepted Knight’s guilty plea to two counts of unlawful wounding and two counts of shooting in the commission of a felony, and suspended an additional 14 years on conditions, including that Knight complete five years of uniform good behavior, one year of supervised probation and pay the victims restitution.
The commonwealth’s attorney’s office, which “strongly objected” to bond for Knight at the time of his arrest, says it considered the attack by Knight unprovoked, but the defense planned to argue at trial that Mr. Knight acted after being provoked.
The shooting happened on Garfield Drive in the Ocean View area on the night of March 25, 2022, after words were initially exchanged between Knight’s son and the victims, Alec Stewart and his friend Brandon Hall, the commonwealth’s attorney’s office says.
The altercation culminated with Knight eventually firing at the victims from across the street. Both survived after being shot multiple times.
Prosecutors say video evidence showed neither of the victims were armed and they didn’t approach Knight’s side of the street.
