Many Claim Hernando is 'Little Soviet Union' As Transparency Fades

BROOKSVILLE, FL – There are new details regarding a shooting that took place in the Hill' N Dale subdivision on Monday, and it's raising more concerns about transparency and the safety of Hernando County Residents.

On December 30th of last year, Public Information Officers with the Hernando County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) posted the following on the agency's Facebook page: "INCREASED LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE There is an increased law enforcement presence in the area of Frampton Ave. in Brooksville in reference to a suspicious incident."

Later that evening, HCSO added to the post that a suspect was in custody.

After receiving several tips, R News discovered that the "suspicious incident" was actually a shooting that occurred at an Assisted Living Facility, located at 27357 Frampton Ave, involving a patient who is a convicted felon with a long history of violence. R News contacted HCSO for comment, but they never responded to our inquiries. Instead, the following day, HCSO published a narrative on Facebook regarding the shooting but did not state that it was related to the suspicious incident.

Suspect: McKenzi Finn

According to officials, 20-year-old McKenzi Alexander Finn was upset at the facility's bus driver for not taking him to the store, so he retrieved a firearm and discharged three shots at the bus. Finn then hid the firearm in the ceiling area of a public restroom, which detectives later located.

According to an inventory of items that were discovered in Finn's possession were several .38 caliber founds, a .38 caliber revolver, and a pair of latex gloves.

Finn is charged with 2 counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Possession of a Firearm and Ammo by a Convicted Felon, and Discharging a Firearm in Public. Finn remains behind bars on a $46,000 bond.

In an unusual twist, HCSO requested that Judge Daniel B. Merritt Jr. seal the case, preventing details from being released to the public.

The lack of transparency by Sheriff Al Nienhuis and his administration has drawn harsh criticism for several years and was one of the key reasons his former challenger, Joe Puglia, ran against him in the 2024 Primary. Puglia and others believe Nienhuis' "Starcom" program, which collects Hernando County Crime Data, is flawed and easily manipulated. "Garbage in, garbage out," says Puglia.

Many residents consider Nienhuis a tyrant and a corrupt politician for secretly installing spy cameras around the county and warning County Commissioners, under threat of criminal prosecution, not to divulge details of the program to the taxpayer. Additionally, after winning the election, Nienhuis encrypted radio traffic so that the community and the media could no longer monitor responses. It should be noted that officials with Hernando County Fire Rescue, who utilize the same network and dispatchers, chose not to conceal their responses from the community.

HCSO used to allow real-time access to their online CAD system, but again, since the election, HCSO began delaying public access by 30 minutes. Trusting information on the agency CAD is often drawn into question due to incidents not matching the actual call. This prevents interested parties, i.e., the media, from inquiring and reporting on newsworthy events.

HCSO is one of the few law enforcement agencies in Florida that does not have a body-worn camera (BWC) program, and it's not because they can't afford it, as Nienhuis often claims. Earlier this year, as they do nearly every year, the federal government announced a grant program for agencies to implement a BWC program, but Nienhuis not only declined, he refused to even apply for the funds.

All of the above and many more examples have led the community to believe Nienhuis is leading HCSO like the former Soviet Union and will do anything to protect his political career. That allegation is probably not too far from the truth, as he often sends "KGB" style "goons" to threaten and intimidate citizens for speaking out against him. Most recently, he used that tactic to intimidate former County Commissioner candidate Marvin Bayham, who ran against Nienhuis' ally John Allocco during the 2024 Primary. There are many other examples, including attacks against this reporter over the years. Watch the Documentary Behind the Gate for more in-depth information.

With all windows into the agency closed, the only place left for the community to receive information is through the agency's Facebook page. The problem is that the administration controls the narrative and only publishes positive information about the agency and the top brass, specifically Nienhuis. The rampant violence, including shootings, stabbings, home invasions, carjackings, and other crimes, is rarely published on their Facebook page. If they do, it's usually because R News inquired about minutes before their post. Additionally, if you try to criticize the agency or Niehnuis on their Facebook page, they will simply block you. They've also begun turning off comments on posts they believe will draw staunch criticism, despite the Supreme Court's ruling that a government agency cannot censor free speech because it is considered a "Public Square."