Multiple 911 calls about a man waving an AR-15-style assault rifle on a Clay Hill road ended with armed response to the quiet neighborhood and an arrest, the Sheriff’s Office says.
Anthony Ryan Hagan remains behind bars on $610,000 bail after his arrest on six counts of aggravated assault without intent to kill, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The 36-year-old Short Horn Road resident was threatening people as they drove past him on Wednesday morning, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Florida law says adults who can legally possess a firearm are no longer prohibited from openly carrying it in most public places. The decision followed a ruling by the 1st District Court of Appeal in September 2025 that found the state’s open carry ban (Florida Statute 790.053) unconstitutional.
Businesses, stores and private property owners can still prohibit open or concealed carry of firearms on their premises, and it remains illegal to possess a firearm as a convicted felon or while committing a crime.
Clay County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Ben Ryan there are areas where open carry is not allowed, like courthouses, police departments, schools and certain government buildings — and in situations like Wednesday’s incident.
“You can legally open carry as an adult with the exception of the parameters/locations you mentioned,” Ryan said in a statement to Jacksonville Today. “In this case, Hagan pointed the gun at people and threatened to shoot them — that, you legally cannot do.”
SWAT units and deputies set up a perimeter around Hagan’s home after identifying him as the man in 911 reports. Hagan tried to drive away, but as SWAT moved to stop him, he drove into a ditch and was arrested after surrendering to deputies, the Sheriff’s Office says.
In a statement on Facebook, Sheriff Michelle Cook said her deputies and SWAT had a “dangerous and erratic individual who posed a serious threat” to the community.
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