West Palm Beach police confiscated every firearm owned by investigative journalist James O’Keefe following a domestic violence restraining order filed by Matthew Tyrmand, a former Project Veritas board member who allegedly threatened O’Keefe’s life on hidden camera.

Restraining Order Triggers Gun Seizure

O’Keefe announced Thursday that officers arrived at his O’Keefe Media Group headquarters and removed his entire firearms collection. The seizure stems from a Miami-Dade family court temporary restraining order Tyrmand obtained against the journalist. Florida law mandates firearm confiscation when domestic violence restraining orders are issued, regardless of who posed the actual threat. O’Keefe recorded video of the police action at his office.

Former Board Member’s Threats Caught On Camera

The restraining order followed O’Keefe’s February release of undercover footage showing Tyrmand allegedly admitting to being an FBI informant for the Southern District of New York. In those recordings, Tyrmand reportedly stated he wanted to kill O’Keefe, calling him one of the most evil people he had ever known. Tyrmand even photographed O’Keefe’s book cover with rifle bullets shot through the heart on the image, according to O’Keefe’s account.

Project Veritas Board Coup Context

The conflict traces back to February 2023 when the Project Veritas board removed O’Keefe as chairman despite his building the organization into a multi-million dollar investigative journalism operation. O’Keefe subsequently launched O’Keefe Media Group, which has grown rapidly. He continues fighting to regain control of Project Veritas while his new venture produces undercover investigations. The firearms confiscation represents an escalation in the ongoing legal battle between O’Keefe and former board members.

Constitutional Concerns Raised

Second Amendment advocates have raised concerns about the case, pointing to the apparent contradiction of someone who allegedly threatened violence obtaining a restraining order against their target. The temporary nature of the order suggests courts will examine the evidence before making permanent decisions. O’Keefe maintains he poses no threat and argues Tyrmand weaponized the legal system against him. The firearms remain in police custody pending further court proceedings on the restraining order’s validity.