Central NY man hits father with cane and car while trying to rob brother’s house, depuities say

Van Buren, N.Y. — A Central New York man beat his father with a cane, stole his truck and drove away, dragging his father about 60 feet on Thursday in Van Buren, deputies said.
Seth R. Shute, 26, of Baldwinsville, was arrested Thursday after an argument at his brother’s house at 101 Button Shores Road, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office deputies said in court papers.
His father, Randy Shute, told deputies his son had been stealing from the family recently. The father said he was told not to come to his brother’s home. Randy Shute told his son to leave, and his son became angry, deputies said.
After the argument, Shute ran toward his father and began beating him with a cane, deputies said. He punched his father in the head about eight times, they said.
While his father was on the ground, Seth Shute grabbed the keys to his father’s truck and got in, deputies said. Randy Shute tried to pull his son out of the truck, but the vehicle started reversing, they said.
Randy Shute was dragged by the truck 60 feet and then hit by the back of the truck when he was on the ground, causing him to lose consciousness, deputies said. He was transported to Upstate University Hospital.
On Thursday, Seth Shute was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree robbery and one count of second-degree burglary.
He is being held in the Onondaga County Justice Center.
Several of Seth Shutes family members told deputies they have been concerned about his recent behavior and declining mental health. His father told police that his son has been having issues with an energy drink addiction lately and has since become “psychotic.”
Seth Shute allowed police to check his residence and signed a voluntary consent form, stating that he gave permission to remove any and all firearms from his home for safekeeping. He had three gun safes with multiple handguns, long guns and ammunition.
Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office filed an application for Extreme Risk Protection Order, or ERPO, against him. An ERPO allows law enforcement to search a home and remove guns if someone is thought to have access to weapons and be a danger to themselves or others.
Staff writer Greta Stuckey covers breaking news. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at [email protected].