Calls flood Putnam County Sheriff’s Office after F-15 sonic boom causes damage

PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. – The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office got more than a dozen calls on Saturday after a sonic boom caused by low-flying jets shocked residents and caused damage ranging from items falling off walls to broken glass.

The sheriff’s office took calls from Pomona Park, Lake Como, Crescent City and as far north as Palatka, and several people reported seeing two low-flying jets and hearing loud booms, which were the result of the jets breaking the sound barrier. One caller said they saw the sonic boom bubble.

The jets involved were F-15s from the Florida Air National Guard. The guard acknowledged the incident in an email to News4JAX but did not confirm it was a sonic boom, however, a Navy spokesperson said the “sonic boom” over Putnam County was not caused by U.S. Navy aircraft, after it was initially unclear which jets caused the disturbance.

“The Florida Air National Guard recently became aware of damage and noise complaints as a result of low-altitude training in Putnam County on Saturday, March 2nd. In response to this event, Florida National Guard command has directed that an investigation take place to determine the facts and implement any necessary measures to prevent this type of incident in the future,” the national guard said in a statement. “The Florida National Guard extends its deepest apologies for any resulting damage and the negative impact to the local community.”

Some were frantic when they contacted law enforcement on Saturday:

• “A plane just dropped a bomb behind my house! The whole trailer shook. I was like to have a heart attack.”

• “Something just exploded. I thought a bomb hit the house. Something smells wrong, like a gas smell.”

• “Any calls about what just happened? It destroyed my frigging house! Knocked everything off my walls. It could’ve been those planes.”

• “I have major damage, they flew right over my house. I have a 50-by-75 building, and the lights were blown off the walls, there’s glass everywhere.”

• “I don’t know what’s going on, but my windows are busted out, and pictures fell off the walls.”

The guard said Monday it was working to establish a contact number for residents who might have sustained property damage as a result of the event and wish to file a claim. For more information, contact the Florida National Guard Public Affairs Office at fl.ng.pao@mail.mil or 904-823-0170.