Son arrested after being shot by his father in domestic incident in Lewes, police say

After four months of investigation, the Lewes Police Department has arrested and charged Spencer Coffin, 31, of Lewes, for his involvement in a domestic related shooting on Dec. 1, 2017.

Coffin was shot one time in the torso by a person previously identified by the Lewes Police Department as Coffin's father, according to a Lewes Police Department release.

On Dec. 1, police were dispatched to a Breakwater Street residence around 6:58 p.m. after a 911 call. A man, previously identified as Coffin's father, called and said that he shot his son following an argument.

Assisted by the Delaware State Police, Lewes officers secured the home and took one unidentified person into custody.

Coffin was transported to Beebe Healthcare and treated for a gunshot wound.

However, the investigation found that the victim was forced to protect himself against Coffin as a result of his menacing and aggressive behavior, police said.

On Thursday, the Lewes Police Department responded to Sussex Correctional Institute, where Coffin was already being held on unrelated charges, and charged Coffin with crimes against a vulnerable adult, menacing, possession and consumption of cocaine and breach of conditions of a release.

MORE: Charges still pending for domestic dispute where father shot son in Lewes

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Previously, Lewes Police Chief Thomas Spell said the investigation was "in the hands of the attorney general's office."

Spell explained in December that the complexity of the case was why it was taking a long time for charges to be filed, and a spokeswoman for the Delaware Attorney General's Office said it is not unusual for two agencies to work together on a case.

"But in other investigations, police and prosecutors consult on charges before arrest to determine which or if any criminal charges apply," said Nicole Magnusson, communications officer for the attorney general's office, in a previous interview. "In every instance, police and prosecutors base charging decisions on the available facts and whether the elements of a particular crime may be met."

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