An incident of gunfire erupted following a dispute at a Boy Scout camp in Martin County, as 48-year-old Douglas Bunker confronted a park ranger during what was supposed to be a somber fishing trip to honor the memory of his nephew. WFLX reported that the encounter unfolded around 6 p.m. behind Jonathan Dickinson State Park’s Boy Scout Camp on Sunday and led to Bunker's arrest.
Details from WPBF state that the ill-fated gathering was an act of remembrance for Bunker's 21-year-old nephew, who unfortunately passed away in a high-speed crash. After a few shots were allegedly fired during a heated exchange, those with Bunker overcame the fence back into the North Passage community, while Bunker retreated to his mother's home and was later apprehended by authorities.
According to Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek, the group had illegally accessed the camp property for their tribute, and upon being discovered by a ranger, were instructed to vacate the premise. In an interview obtained by WFLX, Budensiek recounted how, with heavy drinking overtaken by grief, “Our suspect, who had been drinking heavily, grieving the loss of his nephew, started an argument with the ranger,” followed by the ranger standing his ground, resulting in Bunker brandishing a firearm and discharging multiple rounds. The ranger's 9-year-old son was reported to have been sitting in the truck at the time of the incident.
The ordeal resulted in the deployment of the Martin County Sheriff's Office SWAT team, who secured the scene and facilitated the eventual surrender of Bunker. Efforts to communicate with Bunker, having been tried over 70 times to engage him in a phone conversation, failed initially. However, after a deputy spoke with Bunker's mother, serving as a third-party intermediary, Bunker eventually emerged and was taken into custody. The standoff and subsequent arrest were further detailed by WPBF.
This confrontation adds to the series of unfortunate events Martin County has faced early this year, marked by a string of traffic fatalities, including the death of Bunker’s nephew. Sheriff Budensiek pointed out to WFLX the sharp contrast between the 22 total fatalities of 2025 and the five losses suffered in just the first 12 days of 2026, stressing the grave onset this year has had for the community.
