On Sunday, Trump was golfing at his resort in West Palm Beach when a Secret Service agent noticed a firearm protruding through a fence, partially concealed by trees and bushes. The agent fired several shots toward the location of the weapon, prompting the individual hiding with it to flee. The suspect, later identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, was apprehended approximately 40 miles north of the scene while traveling along I-95. Routh has been charged with two weapons violations and remains in custody. Following the incident, the FBI issued a statement confirming its own investigation into the matter. However, DeSantis has refused to hand Routh over to federal authorities, stating that Florida will conduct its own inquiry. On Tuesday, DeSantis signed an executive order directing the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) to lead the investigation and to refer any violations of state law to the attorney general for prosecution. The order also allocated additional resources to enhance Trump's security detail. During a press conference, DeSantis argued that a state-led investigation is necessary due to potential conflicts of interest with the federal agencies currently prosecuting Trump, such as the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which are also involved in the investigation of the assassination attempt. "In my judgment, it is not in the best interest of our state or our nation to have 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," the governor told reporters.Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has announced that the state will conduct its own investigation into the second reported assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
Florida Will Investigate: “The same agencies prosecuting Trump investigating the assassination attempt may not be the best thing.” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis refuses to hand Trump shooting suspect Ryan Routh over to the Feds. Routh was arrested by local Florida PD while… pic.twitter.com/4fuxTvRdxh Multiple questions remain unanswered, including how the alleged shooter became aware of Trump’s whereabouts. The former president’s golf outing was a last-minute decision, not publicly announced, and not included on any official schedule. “This deranged, would-be assassin broke Florida law, and we will not wait on the federal government to act,” said Attorney General Ashley Moody. “Florida is launching its own investigation, and I have directed my statewide prosecutors to assist FDLE and FHP, as we work quickly to uncover the facts behind this latest attempt on President Trump’s life and provide trust and transparency to the American people.”
— John Cremeans USA (@JohnCremeansUSA) September 16, 2024
