Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told would-be thieves that law enforcement in the Sunshine State will not tolerate anyone taking advantage of the chaos following Hurricane Idalia, warning: “You rob, we shoot.”
“I would also like to warn potential robbers — you never know what you’re going to get into,” DeSantis, 44, said at a news conference Wednesday.
“People have the right to defend their property. There are a lot of Second Amendment advocates and supporters in this part of Florida, and I’ve seen signs in different people’s yards in the past after these disasters, and I Wanted to say it might be here – ‘You rob, we shoot. ‘”
The governor was responding to reports of an attempted robbery in Steinhatchee, Florida, a town of 537 people in Tyler County, where the Category 3 storm made landfall.
DeSantis called it “absurd” that someone would attempt a robbery hours after Idalia’s 125-mph winds and violent storm surge wreaked havoc on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
The governor and Republican presidential primary candidate added: “I’ve told all of our state workers, you know, you’re going to protect people’s property, and we won’t tolerate any looting after a natural disaster. ”
“You never know what’s behind that door. If you break into someone’s house and try to rob them, those people will be able to protect themselves and their family,” he added.
“Don’t even think about robbery. Don’t even think about taking advantage of people in this vulnerable situation,” DeSantis said at the time, claiming that some people “take boats” to storm-ravaged islands and “try to rob people of their lives.” home”.
“I can tell you that in Florida, you never know what might be lurking behind someone’s home, and if I were you, I wouldn’t take that risk because we’re a Second Amendment state,” he added again, noting that Go to a boarded up store with a “You Rob, We Shoot” sign.
The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, which oversees Stan Hatch, did not respond to a request for comment on the robbery in the area.
DeSantis sounded a similar warning last year after Hurricane Ian. Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm, made landfall in southwestern Florida in September 2022, killing at least 149 people and becoming the costliest storm in the state’s history.
“Don’t even think about robbery. Don’t even think about taking advantage of people in this vulnerable situation,” DeSantis said at the time, claiming that some people “take boats” to storm-ravaged islands and “try to rob people of their lives.” home”.
During that hurricane, 28 people were arrested in Lee County, Florida, in connection with looting after Iandfall, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
DeSantis took a break from campaigning to focus on Idalia.
The governor flew back to Tallahassee Saturday night from the first caucus state, Iowa, and has since been in the Sunshine State, regularly updating citizens on the storm’s path and the state’s response.
It was unclear when DeSantis, who trails former President Donald Trump by about 40 points in national polls, would return to the campaign trail.
“You do what you need to do,” DeSantis say tuesday Asked how he would focus on Idalia instead of his White House ambitions.
“So that’s what we’re doing. It’s no different than what we did during Hurricane Ian. I hope this storm won’t be as catastrophic as Hurricane Ian, but we’ll do what we need to do, Because it’s important.”
DeSantis also noted that when Hurricane Ian hit, “we were running for governor. I had all sorts of things lined up, not just in Florida — all over the country we were doing different things. ”
Weeks after the catastrophic storm, the governor won re-election in a landslide victory over Democrat Charlie Crist.
