STUART — Law enforcement officers detained a man who appeared to be following U.S. Rep. Brian Mast during the Stuart Christmas Parade on Dec. 5, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office said Mast’s personnel and members of the agency’s command staff noticed the man’s behavior along the parade route.
The individual was wearing a hat pulled low over his face and layered clothing, including a long-sleeve shirt and jacket, despite warm weather conditions. Authorities said his appearance and actions prompted sheriff’s deputies and Stuart police officers to intervene.
Officers detained the man before he could proceed farther along the route. During the encounter, deputies discovered the man was carrying a firearm and wearing a tactical armored plate bulletproof vest rated for rifle fire beneath his clothing.
The man was removed from the parade area and taken to the sheriff’s office, where he was interviewed by detectives with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, the FBI and the Stuart Police Department.
After a review of the circumstances, authorities did not file charges, stating there was no lawful basis to do so based solely on his actions.
The sheriff’s office said large public events such as the Christmas Parade are planned in advance with multiple layers of security throughout the route. Those measures include street barriers, uniformed and plainclothes officers, tactical teams, drone operations and air support.