Florida Homeowners Association President Accused of Pulling Gun on Kids Fishing

Kyle Tate, president of a homeowners association in Palm Bay, Florida, was arrested after allegedly pulling a gun on three kids fishing at a lake. Tate claimed the kids were on his property, but police say the property belonged to the HOA. Tate confiscated their fishing equipment and other belongings, including a phone, and threw them into the woods, damaging them.

Kyle Tate, president of a homeowners association in Palm Bay, Florida, was arrested last month after allegedly pulling a gun on three kids fishing at a lake.

According to court documents, the incident occurred on April 14 when officers with the Palm Bay Police Department were dispatched to a suspicious incident at Stillwater Lakes, a subdivision owned and managed by an HOA.

Responding officers spoke with three kids who were fishing on the south side of the lake in Stillwater Lakes. The kids said that a man, later identified as Tate, walked up to them while holding a firearm and told them to get off his property.

However, police say the property belonged to the HOA, not Tate.

Despite this, Tate grabbed their fishing rods, reels, tackle boxes, and other equipment and threw them into the woods, damaging them.

The kids told police they estimated the fishing rods and reels to be valued at $1,900; the tackle boxes and lures inside to be valued at $150; and cast nets to be valued at $150.

Tate also allegedly took a phone valued at around $1,500 from one of the kids, which has not yet been recovered, court documents say.

After learning of the situation, police arrested Tate on April 14, and he was booked into the Brevard County Jail.

He now faces charges of grand theft of property valued between $750 and $7,500, and criminal mischief greater than $1,000. Both charges are classified as third-degree felonies in Florida.

Tate was held on $5,000 bond – $2,500 per charge – which he later posted.

The incident has raised concerns about the authority of homeowners associations and their power to regulate activities within their communities.

Some residents have expressed concerns that HOAs may be overstepping their boundaries and infringing on the rights of property owners.

Others argue that HOAs are necessary to maintain property values and ensure a safe and orderly environment for residents.

The case is still under investigation, and it remains to be seen how it will be resolved.