WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Florida law enforcement will launch a criminal investigation of the apparent assassination attempt targeting former President Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday.
The state-level probe will run parallel to the federal investigation into Ryan Wesley Routh, who was charged Monday with federal firearms offenses. DeSantis said Florida prosecutors will pursue the most serious charges available under state law, including attempted murder.
“I think this is an offense that should merit life in prison,” DeSantis told reporters at a press conference in West Palm Beach.
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DeSantis told reporters that the “suspect is believed to have committed state law violations” and criticized the federal investigation into the first assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, saying there are still many questions from that incident that have not been answered.
“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,” DeSantis wrote Sunday on X.
On Tuesday, DeSantis vowed that the state’s investigation would be more transparent than the federal investigation.
“In my judgement, it’s 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,” the governor added.
DeSantis said the same agencies prosecuting Trump cannot thoroughly investigate the apparent assassination attempt against him, so he is promising to hold the suspect accountable under state jurisdiction by bringing an attempted murder charge against the suspect, adding the current gun charges Routh, 58, faces are not sufficient enough.
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Local 10 also learned Tuesday that Routh is accused of offenses in multiple jurisdictions, including possibly in Broward County for stolen tags.
According to law enforcement officials, the former president was at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach Sunday afternoon when a Secret Service agent saw the barrel of a rifle coming through the fence.
The agent yelled out “gun,” fired in the direction of the rifle and Trump was rushed to safety.
“In quick succession, there were four shots,” said Steve Witkoff, a friend of Trump. “I saw the Secret Service do exactly what they’re supposed to do, which was get right on top of the president.”
Authorities said Routh fled after being shot at by agents, leaving behind a rifle with a scope, two backpacks with ceramic tiles inside and a GoPro camera.
Snyder said deputies arrested the suspect a short time later near Palm City after Palm Beach County deputies released a “very urgent” be on the lookout, or BOLO, alert for a black Nissan sports utility vehicle.
VIDEO: Bodycam footage shows arrest of Trump attempted assassination suspect
A witness was able to provide law enforcement with the license plate of the vehicle.
“Our real time Crime Center put it out to the license plate readers and we were able to get a hit on that vehicle on I-95 as it was headed into Martin County,” Snyder said.
Routh, who has been charged with federal gun crimes, made a brief appearance in federal court Monday, where he was being represented by a federal public defender. He is expected back in court on Sept. 23.
The shooting comes two months after the Secret Service killed a man who fired a rifle during an assassination attempt against Trump at a July 13 rally in Pennsylvania. The bullet grazed Trump’s ear.
Routh did not fire any shots on Sunday and never had Trump in his line of sight.
His troubled history dates back to the 1990′s, with fraud and weapons of mass destruction charges.
He was also passionate and emotional about the war in Ukraine. The Associated Press filmed Routh in April 2022 at a demonstration in Kyiv’s Independence Square two months after Russia invaded Ukraine.
DeSantis shared that the public has the right to know the full scope of Routh’s background.
“We are only interested in the truth,” said DeSantis on Tuesday. “We are not involved in any of these other things the Justice Department or the FBI may be involved in.”
The federal complaint also states that the gun found in Routh’s possession was not manufactured in Florida, which could result in additional federal charges. The investigation remains ongoing, with Routh expected to appear in federal court on Monday.