DeSantis signs order for state to begin assassination probe, says Florida has best 'jurisdiction'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday the state has a “strong interest” in bringing the second Trump assassination attempt suspect to justice and signed an executive order to begin an independent investigation. 

“Today I am 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 Ashely Moody,” said DeSantis. “The suspect, Ryan Routh, is believed to have committed state law violations across multiple judicial circuits in the state.” 

“The State of Florida has jurisdiction over the most serious, straightforward offense, which is attempted murder,” DeSantis said. 

The governor appeared at a press conference alongside Florida Attorney General Moody, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass, and other state and local law enforcement officials to outline the state’s approach to investigating the assassination attempt. 

The suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, was arrested Sunday in Florida after his apparent attempt to shoot the former president.

DeSantis also raised concerns that the federal agencies investigating the incident may have a conflict, considering the Department of Justice is currently prosecuting former President Trump in the same district for allegedly mishandling classified documents. 

The governor  promised that his state would get answers and make them public, contrasting his investigation with those into the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting and the first assassination attempt against Trump. In both these cases, DeSantis said, the FBI and DOJ have not been forthcoming with the facts. 

“DeSantis directed law enforcement to find—to hunt—for the truth,” said Commissioner Glass. His agency, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, will be investigating the events surrounding the attempted assassination, DeSantis and Attorney General Moody said. 

“The American people need to know we’re on this,” Attorney General Moody said. “Sometimes states have the ability and the jurisdiction to bring charges and go after maximum penalties that maybe the federal government does not.” 

The FBI said Monday that it is working closely with local law enforcement and its federal partners to investigate the suspect. Jeffrey Veltri, special agent in charge of the FBI's Miami Field Office, at a press conference in South Florida told reporters that the FBI in conjunction with the DOJ has already executed several search warrants for devices and places of residence for Ryan Routh, the suspect. The DOJ charged Routh Monday with possession of a firearm while a felon and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. 

DeSantis said his state could pursue greater charges than the federal government, including attempted murder, which could carry a life sentence.