Florida man arrested for allegedly brandishing machete at voting site

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By Jack Queen

(Reuters) – A Florida man was arrested after allegedly brandishing a machete at an elderly woman during an altercation at an early voting site in Neptune Beach, the town’s police chief said.

Caleb James Williams, 18, raised the machete over his head during an altercation with two women at the polling location, including one who was 71 years old, Neptune Beach police chief Michael Key Jr. said during a press conference on Tuesday.

The incident occurred less than a week ahead of the Nov. 5 U.S. election between Republican former president Donald Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.

Williams is in custody and has been charged with improper exhibition of a dangerous weapon and aggravated assault on a person aged 65 years or older, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office records show.

Attorney information for Williams was not immediately available.

Williams was with a group of six minors who were there to “protest and oppose the opposing political side”, Key said, though he did not indicate whether any of the others in the group had been detained or cited.

“The group was there for no other reason but ill intentions – to cause a disturbance,” Key said, denouncing the incident as an attack on voting rights.

Key displayed a photo that he said showed Williams smiling and holding the machete aloft in a parking lot.

The Florida Times-Union reported that Williams was part of a group of Trump supporters waving a “Don’t Blame Me, I Voted for Trump” flag.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

(Reporting by Jack Queen in New York; Editing by David Holmes)