A father who shot and killed his drug-addicted son after being attacked with a wooden board has been cleared of wrongdoing, the First Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office announced Monday.

Santa Rosa County deputies responded to a residence at 5545 Sweet Memory Lane in Milton at around 7 a.m. Aug. 25 in reference to a shooting, a news release said. Bruce Pernicka admitted he had shot his son, Jeffery Pernicka, after Jeffery attacked him with a 2-by-4 board.

When deputies arrived Pernicka was found standing outside holding a white cloth to his head, the release said. He had blood on his hands, arms, torso and legs.

The son was found lying on the ground on the south side of the residence. He’d been shot several times and was pronounced dead on the scene, the report said.

Pernicka’s injuries included a 4- to 5-inch deep laceration on his head, a raised, red welt on his abdomen and a contusion on his left forearm.

Pernicka told authorities that Jeffery had been living with his mother, Joann Stead, but that she had asked him to take Jeffery in.

“Jeffery had been threatening to kill her and she could not handle him,” the report said. Pernicka told investigators that Jeffery had a substance abuse problem and when he was using narcotics, he would act paranoid and erratic.

Pernicka said he had learned a firearm was missing and he thought his son had taken it.

“On he day of the incident, Bruce texted Joanne telling her that Jeffery had stolen a firearm and that Bruce would stand his ground and would not be responsible for what occurred. He also told Joanne that she would need to speak on his behalf in court,” the report said.

Pernicka said he was awakened by banging at about 6:30 a.m. on the day of the shooting and carried a firearm with him to investigate the noise, the report said. When he encountered his son, Jeffery began beating him with the two-by-four.

“Bruce advised he was in fear for his life so he raised the pistol and shot Jeffery. Jeffery continued to approach Bruce, so Bruce shot Jeffery several more times and Jeffery fell to the ground,” the report said.

The State Attorney’s Office found Pernicka “had no duty to retreat and had a right to stand his ground.”

“Based on the applicable law, Bruce Pernicka was justified in using deadly force in that he reasonably believed that such force was necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself and to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony,” the report said.