ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 The Martin County Sheriff\u2019s Office is addressing community concerns after a man was seen walking through public spaces while openly carrying a rifle and a pistol.<\/p>\n
The activity began in Martin County on Friday, March 27th, and the individual was spotted again Sunday, March 29th, in St. Lucie County, triggering a wave of 911 calls from residents reporting a potentially dangerous situation. <\/p>\n
Deputies quickly located the man and identified him as a Second Amendment “auditor”\u2014someone who intentionally performs lawful acts in public to document how law enforcement and the public react to their constitutional rights.<\/p>\n
According to the Sheriff\u2019s Office, while the sight of a rifle in public is understandably alarming, a thorough assessment revealed the man is acting within the limits of Florida law. Officials explained that these auditors are often more concerned with testing the legal boundaries of the Second Amendment than with the public\u2019s perception of their behavior. <\/p>\n
See also: Florida GOP weighs in after volunteer accused of stealing election equipment in PBC<\/a><\/p>\n Because no laws were broken during the interactions in either county, the individual was permitted to continue his walk, though deputies made it clear that they are monitoring the situation to ensure it remains peaceful.<\/p>\n This incident highlights a major shift in Florida\u2019s legal landscape following the September 2025 appellate court ruling in McDaniels v. State<\/a>, which struck down the state\u2019s decades-old ban on the open carry of firearms. Previously, Floridians were only permitted to openly carry in very narrow circumstances, such as while hunting, fishing, or camping. <\/p>\n