The DeSantis administration in Florida is launching an investigation into what appears to be the second assassination attempt on former President Donald J. Trump, with the governor saying a state investigation will help lend credibility to the outcome of the case.

“The people deserve the truth about the would be assassin and how he was able to get within 500 yards of the former president and current GOP nominee,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said Sunday in a post on the social media site X.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is already investigating the event as an attempted assassination. The episode took place on Sunday afternoon at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. Secret Service spotted a man — identified by law enforcement as Ryan Wesley Routh — with an AK-47-style rifle hiding in the bushes, between 300 and 500 yards away from the president. The man fled when agents opened fire, according to local and federal authorities.

Routh ran to a Nissan parked nearby and was detained shortly after on I-95 as he entered Martin County, just north of Palm Beach County, law enforcement officials said. Routh, who appeared in federal court Monday morning, is facing weapons charges, though more serious charges remain likely.

In Florida, the investigation will be led jointly by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Highway Patrol, the governor’s office said.

On Monday morning at a press conference in Orlando, DeSantis said he had not talked to Trump yet but would be moving forward with the state investigation.

“I understand that the feds are involved but we do believe that there were multiple violations of state law,” DeSantis said. “We also believe that there’s a need to make sure that the truth about all this comes out in a way, you know, that’s credible.”

“With all due respect” to the federal government, “those same agencies that are prosecuting Trump in that jurisdiction are now going to be investigating this,” DeSantis said. “I just think that that may not be the best thing for this country. “

He said his office would be announcing more on the investigation in the coming days.

This story was originally published September 16, 2024, 8:23 AM.

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