Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) warned those who are thinking about looting in the wake of Hurricane Ian that they are putting their lives at risk as the state supports citizens using the Second Amendment.
DeSantis, who made the remarks while speaking in the devastated community of Matlacha near Fort Myers, said that he has seen citizens indicating that they will shoot looters.
“They boarded up all the businesses, and there are people that wrote on their plywood, ‘You loot, we shoot,’” DeSantis said. “At the end of the day, we are not going to allow lawlessness to take advantage of this situation. We are a law-and-order state, and this is a law-and-order community, so do not think that you’re going to go take advantage of people who’ve suffered misfortune.”
“I would not take that chance,” DeSantis said. “Florida is a Second Amendment state.”
Governor DeSantis issues a warning to would-be looters: "I would not take that chance. Florida is a Second Amendment state."
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 #FloridaStrong (@DeSantisWarRoom) September 30, 2022
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, a Republican, said, “We are not going to tolerate — and I mean zero tolerance — when we say anyone that thinks they’re going to thrive on the residents of this county or state when we just took a horrific hit, I can guarantee you that is not going to happen.”
“Most importantly, safety and security as always,” Marceno added. “I guarantee you, we will be out here in full force, and any person that makes that horrific error that thinks they’re going to do something to one of my residents in my county, I guarantee you it’ll be swift incarceration immediately with no tolerance.”
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody shared a video on Twitter showing men who were accused of allegedly trying to loot in Fort Myers.
“Florida will not tolerate looters taking advantage of #HurricaneIan to prey on vulnerable Floridians,” Moody tweeted. “They will be arrested and I have asked state attorneys to seek the longest pretrial detention possible to keep them locked up so they cannot commit new crimes.”
Florida will not tolerate looters taking advantage of #HurricaneIan to prey on vulnerable Floridians. They will be arrested and I have asked state attorneys to seek the longest pretrial detention possible to keep them locked up so they cannot commit new crimes. https://t.co/ORw0qJ1TbB
— AG Ashley Moody (@AGAshleyMoody) September 30, 2022