Teen with machete arrested for voter intimidation at polling place

An 18-year-old was arrested extracurricular a Florida polling location Tuesday aft constabulary said he wielded a machete successful bid to intimidate voters.

Caleb James Williams faces charges of aggravated assaulted connected a personification 65 years of property aliases older and improper accumulation of a firearm aliases vulnerable weapon.

In a property convention aft nan arrest, Neptune Beach Police Chief Michael J. Key said Williams "brandished a machete successful an aggressive, threatening posture complete his head" astatine 2 women, ages 71 and 54.

18-year-old pinch machete arrested for elector intimidation astatine Florida polling spot Neptune Floirda.

Neptune Beach Police Dept

Williams was accompanied by 7 different antheral teens, ages 16 and 17, who constabulary said went to nan Beaches Branch Library "to protestation and antagonize nan opposing governmental side."

"The group was location for nary different logic but for sick intentions to origin a disturbance," Key said. "This is not an incident of solely a First Amendment protected right, but alternatively 1 wherever they were simply location to origin a ruckus."

None of nan different teens presently look immoderate charges, but Key said nan investigation is ongoing and further charges are possible.

Duval County Democratic Party Chair Daniel Henry said successful a connection nan young men had been wielding flags base erstwhile President Donald Trump's sanction during nan incident, and that nan individuals they confronted were carrying signs successful support of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

18-year-old pinch machete arrested for elector intimidation astatine Florida polling spot Neptune Floirda.

Neptune Beach Police Dept

Henry described it arsenic a "troubling enactment of intimidation" and thanked constabulary for nan swift response.

"Violence and intimidation person nary spot successful our antiauthoritarian process," Henry said. "The Duval County Democratic Party stands pinch those who activity to definitive their views peacefully and without fearfulness of reprisal."

Key said he is "extremely proud" of constabulary for their handling of nan incident.

"Voting successful our state is 1 of nan astir ineffable and protected authorities we have," he said. "Ensuring everyone's correct to ballot is important and it will not beryllium impeded upon successful Neptune Beach aliases Duval County."

18-year-old pinch machete arrested for elector intimidation astatine Florida polling spot Neptune Floirda.

Neptune Beach Police Dept

He besides expressed his anger astatine nan incident, and emphasized really earnestly constabulary will return specified incidents.

"I don't cognize if you tin spot nan visceral anger I have, but I'm angry astatine this -- I'm highly angry astatine this." Key said. "It is 1 point to spell up and workout your First Amendment right, which we truthful dearly return arsenic a ineffable correct to express. But again, nan infinitesimal you move to violence, that goes retired nan window."

"To opportunity I'm disturbed is an understatement. I'm huffy that this happened successful Neptune Beach," he added.

Police are successful interaction pinch Jerry Holland, nan Duval County supervisor of elections, and Key said they are committed to protecting voters' information astatine nan polls.

"This is simply a safe location to vote, it was a safe location to ballot coming earlier this incident, and it will proceed to stay a safe location to vote," he said.