PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) - A U.S. Navy veteran has been indicted on federal charges of bringing a rifle and a handgun to a Florida veterans clinic with the intent to commit a crime.
A federal grand jury in Pensacola formally charged Howell E. Camp, 58, in a three-count indictment last week, according to court records. If convicted, he faces up to eight years in prison. An arraignment is scheduled for Thursday.
Camp went to the Pensacola Veterans Affairs Clinic on May 6 to pick up a prescription, prosecutors said. Under social distancing procedures implemented by the VA during the coronavirus pandemic, Camp was asked to wait for the medication in his vehicle.
Camp eventually became frustrated with the wait and went to speak to a VA staff member, according to a criminal complaint. A VA police officer reported seeing Camp become agitated and asked him to return to his vehicle.
Camp left the area but returned several hours later, prosecutors said. He approached the building armed with an AR-15 rifle and a 9 mm handgun, officials said. Two VA police officers stopped Camp and took him into custody before he could enter the clinic, the complaint said.
Camp’s defense attorney, Randall Lockhart, declined to comment.
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