NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. – An 18-year-old accused of brandishing a machete while confronting Kamala Harris supporters at a Neptune Beach polling site on Tuesday has been ordered to stay at least 1,000 feet from any polling location -- unless he’s actually voting himself.
Caleb Williams made his first appearance in court Wednesday on a second-degree felony charge of aggravated assault on a person 65 years or older and a first-degree misdemeanor charge of improper exhibition of a firearm or dangerous weapon.
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His bond was set at $55,006 for the two charges and Williams was ordered to wear a GPS monitor and to not come within 1,000 feet of a polling place unless he is there to cast his own ballot.
He was appointed a public defender and ordered to return to court on Nov. 20.
Neptune Beach police said Williams and a group of seven other teens confronted sign wavers around 4 p.m. Tuesday outside the Jacksonville Public Library Beaches Branch with “ill intentions to cause a disturbance.”
The sign wavers were supporting Harris-Walz, according to the Duval County Democratic Party. Records show Williams is a registered Republican.
Neptune Beach Chief of Police Michael Key said the group drove up, parked their vehicle and started antagonizing early voters.
Police said the situation escalated to a verbal disturbance, and according to Key, Williams aggressively brandished a machete toward two women, ages 71 and 54 years old.
The women called the police, and no one was harmed.
Police found a machete with an 18-inch blade in plain view in the bed of a truck Williams was standing next to, and one of the women had taken a photo of Williams approaching her with the machete over his head.
The photo and machete were taken into evidence.
The disturbance caused traffic and parking issues but the voting precinct was not evacuated.
“We commend the Neptune Beach Police for their prompt response, which helped ensure the safety of our community members,” Duval County Democratic Party Chair Daniel Henry said in a statement. “Violence and intimidation have no place in our democratic process. The Duval County Democratic Party stands with those who seek to express their views peacefully and without fear of reprisal. We urge all citizens to continue engaging in civic activities respectfully and lawfully.”
The Republican Party of Duval County issued a statement as well a little before 10 a.m. Wednesday:
“The Republican Party of Duval County thanks law enforcement for swiftly apprehending the individual involved. In an environment of high political tension, where President Trump has survived two assassination attempts and Republican supporters are derided as Nazis and called “garbage” by Joe Biden, we urge calm as we approach the end of this election season.”
Key ensured that the department would do everything to maintain safe polling locations.
“It was a safe location to vote today before this incident, and it will continue to remain a safe location to vote,” Key said on Tuesday." We’re committed to that, and we’re always committed to looking at plans to make it safer."
No one else in the group was arrested or charged, but Key said since this is an ongoing investigation, future charges are possible, if necessary.