FLORIDA (Agencies): In a bizarre incident, a Florida man, identifying himself as “Captain America,” was arrested while attempting to enter MacDill Air Force Base armed with claims to possess “top secret information.” The suspect, Baruch Roche II, exhibited signs of extreme paranoia and psychosis during the encounter, according to a published criminal complaint.
In early November, Roche drove to the front gate of the Air Force base in Tampa, Florida, asserting that he was an active member of the United States Southern Command (SOCOM). He insisted on having a meeting with a “SOCOM general” to provide supposed “top secret information.” Denied access, Roche became argumentative, threatening to return daily and confront the officers who denied him entry.
Air Force personnel subsequently placed Roche in handcuffs and discovered an AR-15-style rifle along with approximately 125 rounds of ammunition in the trunk of his car. A military identification card naming him as a retired Air Force veteran was also found. Due to his mental state, Roche was involuntarily hospitalized.
Charged with attempting to bring a firearm onto a federal facility, Roche could face up to a year in prison if convicted. His weapon and ammunition were seized by the state. The incident occurred less than two weeks after Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey was placed on lockdown due to reports of an active shooter. Recent years have seen several instances of mass shooters targeting US military bases, prompting heightened security measures.