VERO BEACH — A 35-year-old Vero Beach man was arrested on multiple firearms charges after tracer rounds fired from his backyard shooting range crossed a busy street and struck a nearby youth church camp, prompting a SWAT raid and the discovery of weapons, ammunition, and exotic snakes at his home, according to authorities.
Brandon Harnois was taken into custody early Monday following the incident late Sunday night in the 8100 block of Westfield Circle, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office said.
He faces charges including firing a missile into a dwelling, possessing a firearm in violation of a domestic violence injunction, discharging a weapon in public, and criminal mischief over $1,000. Harnois, who is prohibited from owning guns due to a prior injunction from Massachusetts, remained jailed without bond as the investigation continued.
Deputies on patrol spotted tracer rounds arcing into the air around 9 p.m. on Sunday from Harnois’ property, across 16th Street, and into the woods surrounding the Real Life Youth Camp at 7800 16th Street. Camp staff initially dismissed the muffled bangs as fireworks from neighborhood kids, which is a common occurrence. But later, they found bullet holes in a camper cabin and a climbing wall. No one was injured, though the site typically hosts 100 to 500 people daily, mostly children, and about 20 staff members live on the grounds.
Neighbors told investigators Harnois fired weapons several nights a week, leaving them “absolutely terrified,” Sheriff Eric Flowers said at a news conference. “This is very concerning, and like we said, this is a very residential neighborhood,” Flowers said. “If you go out there, you’ll see how dangerous this was. Definitely could have resulted in a death, no doubt.”
After failed attempts to contact Harnois that night, deputies obtained a search warrant and deployed the SWAT team the next morning. They rammed the door when he didn’t respond to commands and arrested him without incident.
A search revealed multiple firearms, spent shell casings scattered in the yard, ammunition, including SUPERNOVA Red Tracer rounds, and a homemade oil can suppressor attached to an AR-style rifle.
The backyard resembled a “shooting gallery,” with bullet damage to trees, a fence, and a utility pole 25 feet away, which Florida Power & Light deemed a total loss, estimated at $6,000 to replace.
In addition, authorities found several exotic snakes, including a black mamba and a cobra, prompting the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to become involved in the case involving the suppressor. Harnois told deputies the rounds were “firework rounds,” but packaging indicated they were live ammunition designed for ranges over 100 yards.
Seth Williams, operations manager for the ReaLife Vero Beach camp, called the ordeal a close call but said operations continued normally. “Something that wears on me a lot is the fact that this has been going on, and this person has been out there, and we’ve been dealing with this issue,” Williams said. “We were just never fully understanding how deep this issue actually was.”
He added that the camp prioritizes safety for its young visitors: “We ensure the safety of every kid as best we can, and we’re going to take every measure to make sure that if there is a chance that there is a problem like this again, their child will be safe.” Williams quipped, “We want them to know the Lord. We don’t quite want them to meet the Lord yet.”
Flowers noted the shots appeared random, not targeted, but emphasized the risk: “It’s crossing 16th Street. How dangerous. He could have been killed on patrol out there with one of those rounds.”
Additional charges could be filed as the probe wraps up, officials said.
