Brock Horner, a charter boat captain, was caught on camera having a heated confrontation with a young fisherman in Punta Gorda, Florida. The video of the incident, shared on Facebook by 22-year-old Gage Towles, has amassed over 5 million views in less than 24 hours.
The video shows Towles fishing alone when another boat pulls up, and the men aboard begin questioning him about his use of safety lights. They accuse Towles of failing to turn on his boat’s lights earlier that day before dawn. Towles responds, insisting he did turn them on and points out that another boater near the bridge had their lights off.
The confrontation escalates as Horner approaches Towles’ boat, shouting profanities. Horner, who identifies himself as a war veteran and charter captain, declares, “I’m the best charter captain you will ever meet,” before stepping onto Towles’ boat without permission.
Towles tries to deescalate, repeatedly saying, “I don’t want to argue,” and “I’m just a kid.” Despite this, Horner continues to shout, prompting Towles to drive away with Horner still on board. Towles then circles back to drop him off at his own boat.
Before stepping off, Horner warns, “Do it again, and watch what happens."
{{/usCountry}}Before stepping off, Horner warns, “Do it again, and watch what happens."
{{/usCountry}}Reactions
Many on social media identified the man as Captain Brock Horner, affiliated with Tarpon Coast Fishing Charters. Several commenters criticized his behavior, with some calling for his captain’s license to be revoked.
“I'm so sorry he did this to you. His name is Capt. Brock Horner and this is absolutely disgusting of him!” one person commented.
Another wrote, “You shouldn't have apologized for something you didn't do at all. Brock horner needs to get his license taken away and get his boat taken away too!”
Investigation underway
The Punta Gorda Police Department issued a statement saying the incident is being investigated by the Punta Gorda Police, FWC, and the US Coast Guard.
“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,” police said.