Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced that the state will conduct its own investigation into the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, which occurred on Sunday, September 15, at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. This follows a similar attempt just weeks earlier, raising serious concerns about Trump’s safety as the current GOP presidential nominee.
DeSantis took to X (formerly Twitter), stating, “The State of Florida will be conducting its own investigation regarding the attempted assassination at Trump International Golf Club. The people deserve the truth about the would-be assassin and how he was able to get within 500 yards of the former president.”
The incident unfolded while Trump was playing golf, when Secret Service agents noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle peeking out from a shrubbery about 400 yards away. The gunman, identified as Ryan Routh, fled the scene but was soon apprehended by law enforcement, WFLA reported.
Questions have since arisen regarding how Routh managed to get so close to Trump, despite the security detail in place. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw explained that an agent fired at Routh, causing him to drop his weapon and flee in an SUV. Sheriff William Snyder of Martin County described Routh as having a “calm, flat demeanor” and showing no emotion when detained.
This second attempt follows a similar incident in July during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump narrowly escaped with only a grazed ear. Following that event, President Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race, making Vice President Kamala Harris the Democratic nominee.