Bradd Sweeny’s loved ones say the final chapter of his life shouldn’t be defined solely by a police report.
The 45-year-old single father was fatally shot last month by St. Johns County Sheriff’s deputies during a tense early morning encounter that was captured on bodycam footage.
Deputies had responded just before 6 a.m. to a 911 call from a neighbor concerned about Sweeny’s erratic behavior.
Footage released by authorities shows deputies confronting Sweeny and ordering him to drop a handgun. He complied at first. But moments later, he suddenly reached toward the weapon on the ground, prompting deputies to open fire. Sweeny was pronounced dead at the scene.
Now, his two children — ages 8 and 12 — are left to navigate life without their father, and friends and family are rallying to help shepherd them through the wreckage.
To those who knew him best, Sweeny’s story wasn’t written in those final seconds. It unfolded over many years — a slow and painful unraveling marked by untreated mental health issues, economic stress, and isolation.
While his past wasn’t without serious mistakes, friends and relatives say it also held warmth, creativity, and fierce love for his kids.
“Bradd was a proud and loving dad,” a family statement on a GoFundMe page reads. “His love for his family was immeasurable.”
Sweeny’s sister, who is managing the fundraiser, will oversee how the donations are used to support the children. The campaign, which has raised more than $4,000 so far, emphasizes the emotional and financial toll the loss has created.
“He’d been deteriorating mentally for some time, as witnessed by all who knew him,” the family wrote. “They are innocent kids who are going to need support, most especially prolonged psychological counseling to help them navigate through the trauma, as well as help providing the basic necessities such as food, clothing, and school items.”
In his brighter moments, friends remember Sweeny as a gentle soul with a gift for working with his hands — building surfboards, crafting with stone, and mastering carpentry with precision and passion.
For now, the family is focused on mourning his troubled time on earth — not just the way it ended, but the quiet pain that led there, and the young lives forever shaped by it.
