Fort Walton Beach man arrested after witness video allegedly shows gun placed on gas station counter
Fort Walton Beach, Florida – A cellphone video became a key piece of evidence after Fort Walton Beach police were called to a Beal Parkway gas station over a report involving a firearm.
Within a short time, officers had located the man shown in the video, stopped a rideshare vehicle and recovered a loaded handgun, an extended magazine and more than 50 grams of suspected marijuana, according to the Fort Walton Beach Police Department.
The incident began Sept. 1, 2026, when officers responded to the Shell Service Station at 6 Beal Parkway NW. Police said someone had reportedly displayed a firearm inside the business.
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During the investigation, a witness showed officers cellphone footage that authorities said depicted 24-year-old Tiquan Ballard of Fort Walton Beach placing a handgun on the store counter.
Ballard had left the immediate area by the time officers located him a short while later. Police said he was entering a rideshare vehicle when officers spotted him. A traffic stop followed, and Ballard was identified as the passenger.
Investigators received consent to search the vehicle, according to police. Officers reported finding a loaded 9mm handgun and a loaded extended magazine. They also recovered a satchel containing approximately 51.8 grams of suspected marijuana and a digital scale.
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Police said their investigation further determined that Ballard is a convicted felon and was on felony probation at the time of the incident.
Ballard was arrested without incident and taken to the Okaloosa County Jail.
He was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm while engaged in a criminal offense, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The investigation is listed under Fort Walton Beach Police Department Case Number 2026-00021906.
The department said it remains focused on criminal activity involving firearms and illegal narcotics and will continue taking enforcement action aimed at protecting public safety.
The charges are accusations, and Ballard is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
