Tennessee candidate Adam Lee Heimerman arrested for shooting Flock surveillance cameras

Adam Lee Heimerman, a 37‑year‑old independent candidate for Tennessee’s 2nd Congressional District, was arrested by the Blount County Sheriff’s Office and charged with four felony counts of vandalism. Prosecutors allege he shot at four automated license‑plate‑reader (ALPR) cameras owned by the company Flock between July 14 and July 22, including one camera located on the grounds of a church during a service.

Heimerman is being held at the Blount County Correctional Facility on a $40,000 bond. The incident adds to a growing backlash against Flock’s nationwide network of roughly 100,000 cameras, which have faced criticism for alleged Fourth‑Amendment violations and ties to federal immigration enforcement. Republican incumbent Tim Burchett, Heimerman’s opponent, recently introduced legislation to bar federal agencies from purchasing or accessing such surveillance systems and to prevent state and local use of federal funds for them.

The case joins a series of attacks on ALPR technology across the United States, highlighting concerns over privacy, police misuse and corporate data sharing.