Mississippi man accused of impersonating an officer at Fort Walton Beach Home Depot
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Tue Oct 13, 2026 · FORT WALTON BEACH · Okaloosa County
A 39-year-old Mississippi man was arrested in Fort Walton Beach on Oct. 12 on a charge of falsely impersonating a law enforcement officer, after an officer working security at a Home Depot saw him in what looked like a police uniform, carrying a gun.
Fort Walton Beach police say the officer noticed Nicholas O’Bryant, of Lucedale, Mississippi, dressed in what appeared to be a generic law enforcement uniform and carrying a firearm on Monday. The sighting led to a follow-up investigation by the department’s Special Investigations Unit.
Investigators found that O’Bryant is not a sworn law enforcement officer in Mississippi, even though he had credentials identifying him as one, police said. He was charged with falsely impersonating a law enforcement officer and booked into the Okaloosa County Jail.
The department said it takes unauthorized use of law enforcement authority seriously, especially when someone is armed and presenting himself to the public as a sworn officer. Police encouraged businesses that hire security guards to confirm they hold the required Florida security licenses. WLOX reported the arrest came days after Hurricane Isaias hit the area.
What police say vs. what is not yet known
| POLICE SAY | O’Bryant was wearing what appeared to be a generic law enforcement uniform and carrying a firearm at a Fort Walton Beach Home Depot. He is not a sworn officer in Mississippi but had credentials identifying him as one. He was arrested Oct. 12 and charged with falsely impersonating a law enforcement officer. |
| NOT YET KNOWN | The degree of the charge, bond, case number and court dates have not been published, and the county jail record was not available when this was written. This page uses press reports through Oct. 13. |
Source: Fort Walton Beach Police Department, as reported by WEAR-TV (Oct. 12) and WLOX (Oct. 13).
A charge is an accusation, not a conviction. O’Bryant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
What we know
- Reported: Tue Oct 13, 2026
- Location: Home Depot, Fort Walton Beach
- Community: FORT WALTON BEACH
- Status: Arrested, booked into Okaloosa County Jail (police statement via press)
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Records/press report, mapped by Emerald Coast Bookings. Charges are accusations; all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.