Police investigate viral video showing boat captain confronting fisherman in Florida

A tense and frightening moment captured on video is making waves online, showing a young fisherman’s calm response during a heated confrontation with an older man—now identified by many online as Captain Brock Horner of Tarpon Fishing Charters.

The incident was recorded and posted by the young fisherman to Facebook. In less than 24 hours, the video has exploded across social media, gaining over 5 million views and thousands of heated comments.

The video opens peacefully, with the young man fishing alone. But things escalate quickly when another boat pulls up and begins questioning him about an earlier incident around 5 a.m. The men on the second boat are angry, claiming someone had yelled at them after they allegedly sped through a dark fishing area without lights.

One of the men—who identified himself as a war veteran and charter captain—begins yelling profanities and even asks, “You wanna go?” as if challenging him to fight.

The young fisherman tries to deescalate the tension, saying repeatedly, “I don’t want to argue” and “I’m just a kid.” But the man doesn’t back off. Shockingly, he steps onto the young man’s boat without permission, continuing to yell.

Feeling scared, the young fisherman begins to drive away while the man is still on board. He pleads with the man to leave, eventually circling back to drop him off back at his own boat.

Police released the following statement:

“The Punta Gorda Police Department is aware of the incident involving a dispute between two adult boaters under the Barron Collier Bridge on April 1, 2025. A police report has been filed with the department, and the incident is currently under investigation.

The event has garnered significant attention on social media, and we are receiving numerous calls to dispatch requesting that the department take action. Please do not call to report this situation; it is currently being investigated by both the Punta Gorda Police, FWC, and the US Coast Guard. Additional calls to our dispatch could slow our response to situations that require immediate attention.”