Tweet screenshot Share on Instagram It claims that Republican Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida has refused to hand over Ryan Wesley Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Trump, to federal agents.
Verdict: False
The FBI did not mention this allegation in its press release about the incident on September 15th, and there is no other evidence to support the claim.
Fact check:
According to court documents, Routh remained in a wooded area outside the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, for 12 hours before being discovered by Secret Service agents. NBC NewsAccording to the outlet, when Routh was spotted, Trump was on the “fifth fairway” and “not within Routh's field of vision.”
A screenshot of the tweet shared on Instagram alleges that DeSantis refused to hand over Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Trump, to federal agents.
“Mr. DeSantis [sic] No Trump Allowed [sic] Would be an assassin [sic] It will be turned over to the federal government. [sic] “That makes sense, maybe they planned it, so why would a 3 letter agency be in charge of the investigation?” the tweet read. Originally shared on XOn September 16th, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter shut down.
This claim is false. September 15th Press ReleaseThe Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) responded to the incident involving Routh in Florida. There is no mention in the statement that DeSantis refused to turn Routh over to FBI agents, as Instagram and X posts suggest.
Similarly, in a recent press release: United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Public Affairs Office Also, don't repeat this claim: According to both announcements, Routh was charged with “possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession and receipt of a firearm with an obliterated serial number” after a Secret Service agent noticed a rifle sticking out of a tree near Trump's Florida golf club.
Federal agents found Routh in possession of a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope after the incident, the release said. Routh had felony convictions in North Carolina in December 2002 and March 2010. The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the U.S. Secret Service are all investigating the case, according to the release.
Additionally, Governor DeSantis recently told reporters that Florida law enforcement officials will launch their own investigation into the incident. Associated Press Nowhere in the article is there any mention of the allegation that DeSantis refused to turn Routh over to federal investigators.
In addition, “Check Your Fact” There is no reliable news coverage To back up the claim, the opposite is true. September 17th, USA Today It reported that the allegations were false. (Related: No, the two Trump attackers aren't featured in BlackRock ads)
Check Your Fact has reached out to DeSantis' office for comment. Check Your Fact also reached out to the FBI about the allegations, which declined to comment.
