Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed concerns during a press conference on Wednesday, discussing reports of attempted looting after a powerful hurricane struck the state.
“I’ve told all of our personnel at the state level, you protect people’s property, and we are not going to tolerate any looting in the aftermath of a natural disaster,” he said. “I mean, it’s just ridiculous that you would try to do something like that on the heels of an almost Category 4 hurricane hitting this community.”
The tough-talking governor emphasized the dangers potential looters might face, especially when attempting to break into heavily armed households in the gun-loving state.
“People have a right to defend their property,” DeSantis said. “This part of Florida, you’ve got a lot of advocates and some proponents of the Second Amendment, and I’ve seen signs in different people’s yards in the past after these disasters.”
“I would say probably here: ‘You loot, we shoot,’” he said. “You never know what’s behind that door. If you go break into somebody’s house and you’re trying to loot, these are people that are going to be able to defend themselves and their families. So I would not do it. We’re going to hold you accountable from the law enforcement perspective at a minimum, and it could even be worse than that depending on what’s behind that door. So let’s all band together a lift people up and not take advantage of a difficult situation.”
Hurricane Idalia, classified as a near Category 4 storm, has wreaked havoc across the Sunshine State, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. Thousands of homes were damaged, power lines were downed, and vast areas experienced severe flooding. The state’s infrastructure faced significant challenges, with many roads rendered impassable and public services disrupted. Economic losses have soared into the billions, with local businesses grappling to recover amid the destruction.
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