‘Trying to stop this from happening again’: Florida man files lawsuit over open carry policy at Bradford County Fair

BRADFORD COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida man has filed a lawsuit against the Bradford County Fair Association and Bradford County, claiming they unlawfully banned the open carry of firearms at the county fair.

Christopher Rose filed the complaint seeking declaratory and injunctive relief, alleging the policy banning firearms violates Florida law.

According to the complaint, Rose is suing Bradford County Fair Association Inc. and Bradford County, Florida, claiming the entities violated section 790.33 of the Florida Statutes.

“I noticed there was multiple signs up, very prominently, very large signs. You know, stating open carry prohibited. And I thought, huh, that’s, I mean, of course, I complied, I wasn’t exactly sure whether I was on public property or private. So, first things first, I complied. But I was curious about it,” Rose said.

The lawsuit alleges Rose was prohibited from openly carrying a firearm while attending the Bradford County Fair.

“Local government and other statutory entities have NO authority to ban open carry in Fl,” Rose’s attorney said in a post on X.

Rose said he checked the Bradford County property appraiser’s website and concluded the fairgrounds parcel is owned by the Bradford County Commission, according to the website.

Rose said he raised the issue with deputies and fair officials but was told a sheriff’s order authorized the signs and that the policy was lawful.

“He said they had reviewed it and found it not only appropriate, but lawful, and he told me that the order had in fact come directly from the sheriff himself, and that if I had a further issue with it, I should take it up with the sheriff on Monday morning.”

Rose returned to the fair the next day and said a fair manager told him an open-carry stance would result in a call to law enforcement.

“I was told straightaway by the fair manager when I saw her at the ticket window that that, listen, you can buy a ticket and you can come in. But if you open carry, I will call the law on you. And I said, ma’am, I see you took these signs down.”

Rose said he felt he had no choice but to sue to prevent the policy from recurring.

“And found myself in no other alternative than to follow a lawsuit, to try to stop this from happening again,” he said.

When asked what outcome he hoped the lawsuit would produce, Rose described seeking a court order that would clarify whether Bradford County can restrict lawful carrying of firearms on public property.

“Um Well, I’m no attorney. Um, so I must confess as far as that, I don’t know what the entire outcome will be. If you know, if I was the judge and it would it be proper, would I be looking for was some type of injunction that clarifies once and for all for Bradford County, that you cannot touch the lawful carrying a firearms by individuals on any public property.”

News4JAX has reached out to officials with Bradford County and the Bradford County Fair Association for comment, but we have not received a response.

It was not immediately clear when the case might be heard in court.