The man suspected of lying in wait with a rifle to take a shot at former President Donald Trump on Sunday is in federal custody in Miami, but the state of Florida wants a piece of the action when it comes to prosecuting him. NBC6’s Tony Pipitone reports
Florida law enforcement will launch a criminal investigation of the apparent assassination attempt targeting former President Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday.
DeSantis made the announcement during a new conference at the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Training Division. He was joined by Attorney General Ashley Moody, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass, among others.
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DeSantis announced that he is signing an executive order assigning the apparent assassination case to the Office of Statewide Prosecutor under the supervision of Moody.
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This comes a day after the suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, was charged with federal firearms crimes.
Officials said Tuesday that the 58-year-old Routh was being held at the Miami Federal Detention Center.
Routh did not fire any shots, never had Trump in his line of sight and sped away after an agent who spotted him shot in his direction, officials said. He was arrested in neighboring Martin county.
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“The suspect committed several state law violations across multiple judicial circuits, including Martin County as well as, perhaps, the judicial circuit represented by Broward County,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis suggested concern that the same federal agencies that are prosecuting Trump are also handling the investigation into an apparent attempt on his life.
“In addition to holding the suspect accountable, the public deserves to know the truth about how this assassination (attempt) came to be," the governor added.
The latest attempt on Trump's life comes only weeks after a July 13 shooting at a Pennsylvania campaign rally in which Trump was wounded by a gunman's bullet, the latest assassination attempt accelerated concerns that violence continues to infect American presidential politics.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass also expressed on Tuesday that state investigators are working tirelessly to uncover the truth.
“The people of Florida deserve answers, and Governor, we will deliver those answers to you," Glass said.
Bradshaw took a moment to reiterate his commitment to protecting Trump.
"I will make sure my resources are dedicated to the Secret Service to keep him safe," Sheriff Bradshaw said.
The governor also said Tuesday that he spoke to former President Trump following the attempted attack and noted that he seems to be in good spirits.
In a post on X Sunday, Gov. DeSantis, initially announced that the state would do its own investigation, and that, “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.”
The governor also briefly addressed the investigation to reporters on Monday morning.
The governor was holding a news conference to discuss Florida PrePaid when he was asked about the attempted attack on Trump.
"We do believe that there were multiple violations of state law," DeSantis responded. "We also believe there's a need that the truth about all of this comes out in a way that is credible."
