MARTIN COUNTY − Sheriff John Budensiek Dec. 8 discussed the challenging situation presented days earlier by a man who investigators said had a concealed handgun; wore body armor capable of stopping rifle rounds; behaved suspiciously; and was “trailing” top officials and a U.S. Congressman at a parade.
That, according to the Sheriff’s Office, happened Dec. 5 during the Stuart Christmas Parade.
Carrying a firearm and wearing body armor are not necessarily against the law.
“What made this individual unique was his furtive movements, his suspicious behavior, him kind of trailing really all of us, our command staff, specifically Congressman (Brian) Mast,” Budensiek said Dec. 8.
Ultimately, the man was questioned, though not arrested.
Budensiek said Mast’s staff noticed the man, and when investigators talked to him they reported “he was either high or going through a mental episode.”
“Then they discovered the vest and the gun. It wasn’t the first thing that they saw,” Budensiek said. “In fact, they didn’t even know he had a vest and a gun until they started interacting with him and he was acting strange.”
Budensiek said when investigators touched the man to move him away from parents and children and the parade route they realized he had body armor with “plates” to protect against rifle fire as well as a 9mm handgun and a dagger.
Sheriff’s officials said he wore a long sleeve shirt and jacket despite the warm temperature.
Budensiek said the man cooperated with authorities.
“He let us go through his cell phone … He didn’t seem to have a real political agenda one way or the other,” Budensiek said. “Seemed to be apolitical, hadn’t Googled Congressman Mast, wasn’t posting on social media.”
According to Budensiek, the man said he carried the firearm and had the vest because he’d been an informant and was getting threats.
Budensiek said the man had, in fact, been an informant for his agency.
“The family believed that he had been clean for the last couple of weeks, but he had been on crystal methamphetamine and had had some issues,” Budensiek said.
Budensiek said he supports the Second Amendment and carrying firearms, but people must be responsible.
“I’m sure there were probably many people legally possessing and holding firearms on that parade route, and I encourage that, but it was his suspicious behavior coupled with his … (possible drug use) … and the vest and the gun that made this unique,” Budensiek said. “It’s not the fact that he had a vest and a gun. It’s all the other things that came into play.”
He said officials took many steps along the parade route to keep it safe.
He said citizens want to be safe.
“They don’t want a guy going through a mental episode or high on meth in a parade around a bunch of kids with a gun and a vest specifically behind their congressman,” Budensiek said.
He said he’s between two opposing things.
Society is “hypersensitive” to safety “because of all the things that have happened.”
“Then you have the gun rights that have been kind of relaxed for people, especially in the state of Florida, where you could concealed carry first and now you can open carry … providing you’re legally allowed to have a weapon,” he said. “We’re in the middle of it trying to navigate that and keep everybody safe.”
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: ‘Suspicious behavior’; new details in parade, gun, body armor case
Reporting by Will Greenlee, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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