Ron DeSantis Takes Control After Second Trump Assassination Attempt: 'People Deserve the Truth'

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Sunday that the state will independently investigate the recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, opting not to rely on federal authorities.

“The State of Florida will be conducting its own investigation regarding the attempted assassination at Trump International Golf Club,” DeSantis wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

He added, “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.”

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw shared that Trump was positioned between 300 and 500 yards from the armed suspect when a Secret Service agent “engaged” with the individual.

“Secret Service did exactly what they should have done, and their agent did a fantastic job,” Bradshaw said, according to a report by Axios.

The Palm Beach County state attorney, David Aronberg, identified the suspect as 58-year-old Ryan Routh, according to USA Today.

Bradshaw explained that the Trump International Golf Course is “surrounded by shrubbery,” which limits visibility.

“When somebody gets into the shrubbery, they’re pretty much out of sight,” Bradshaw commented.

Given that Trump is no longer a sitting president, Bradshaw noted, “security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible.”

He further speculated, “I would imagine the next time he comes at a golf course, there’ll probably be a little bit more people around the perimeter.”

The incident reportedly took place between holes five and six, as per CNN’s coverage.

According to Bradshaw, a Secret Service agent spotted a rifle barrel with a scope poking through a fence. The agent was part of a team that moves one or two holes ahead of Trump during his rounds.

Bradshaw also highlighted the crucial role of a witness in the arrest of Routh, CNN reported.

“We are able to catch a witness that came to us and said, ‘Hey, I saw the guy running out of the bushes, he jumped into a black Nissan and I took a picture of the vehicle and the tag,’ which was great,” Bradshaw said.

Routh was ultimately apprehended by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. The same witness later identified Routh as the individual fleeing the scene.