Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held a press conference in West Palm Beach on Tuesday to discuss the attempted assassination of former President Trump and the investigation launched by the state of Florida.
“Today, I’m signing an executive order assigning the case involving the attempted assassination of former President. Donald Trump to the office of Statewide prosecutor, under the supervision of Attorney General, Ashley Moody,” said DeSantis.
“The suspect Ryan Routh is believed to have committed state law violations across multiple judicial circuits in the state Palm Beach judicial circuit, the judicial circuit, including Martin County, as well as perhaps the judicial circuit represented by Broward County,” said DeSantis.
Read: What We Know About Suspected Would-Be Trump Assassin Ryan Wesley Routh In Florida
Mark Glass, Commissioner for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, added, “I want you to know that within just hours after this heinous attempt on president former President Donald Trump, Governor Desantis took action and directed State law enforcement to find the truth to hunt for the truth, and that’s what we’re doing. We’re hunting.”
DeSantis said that Florida has clear jurisdiction over the most serious charge in this case—attempted murder.
“In my judgment, it’s not in the best interest of our state or our nation at the same federal agencies that are seeking to prosecute Donald Trump, leading this investigation, especially when the most serious straightforward offense constitutes a violation of state law, but not federal law,” DeSantis said.
Read: Would-Be Trump Assassin Ryan Routh Faces Federal Charges In Florida For Firearm Possession
Previous reporting:
Governor Ron DeSantis announced Monday that Florida will conduct its own investigation into the alleged attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach over the weekend, in addition to the ongoing federal probe.
On Monday, DeSantis expressed concerns about the federal agencies handling the investigation, noting that the same entities prosecuting Trump on other matters will now be leading the inquiry into this incident.
“I mean, I look at the federal government with all due respect to them, you know, those same agencies that are prosecuting Trump in that jurisdiction are now going to be investigating this,” DeSantis added. “I just think that that may not be the best thing for this country. Nevertheless, they have their prerogative, but we have our prerogative.”
In Sunday’s event, 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh is accused of attempting to fire a rifle through the fencing at the golf course. A U.S. Secret Service agent reportedly spotted Routh and returned fire before he fled the scene. He was later apprehended and charged on Monday.
DeSantis was joined Tuesday by:
- Attorney General Ashley Moody
- Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Director
- Dave Kerner
- Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw
- Martin County Sheriff William Snyder
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