What’s Happening:
Gov. Ron DeSantis paused his presidential campaign to go back to Florida. He is leading the state’s Hurricane Idalia response. The powerful hurricane hit the state’s Big Bend, the strongest storm to affect the region in over 125 years. As he’s done before, DeSantis is coordinating with response and recovery teams to quickly restore power and aid victims.
Even still, it will be some time before the region gets back to normal. And, as you would expect, there are folks who try to take advantage of the crisis. Looters are always on hand to break into homes while the power is out and roads are blocked. But the governor gave these would-be crooks a pretty strong warning. They’d be smart to listen.
From Daily Wire:
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis laid down the law during a press conference on Wednesday when talking about reports that some people had tried to loot in the wake of a powerful hurricane that hit the state…
“I would say probably here: ‘You loot, we shoot,’” he said. “…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 and lift people up and not take advantage of a difficult situation.”
Whoa. Gov. DeSantis made a stark warning to potential looters. He said that the state and local communities will hold criminals accountable if they try to loot homes after the storm. But he also warned that if someone tries to loot what appears to be an evacuated storm, they might end up with a belly full of lead.
DeSantis said, “You loot, we shoot.” He did not discourage Florida residents from defending their homes during this crisis. In fact, he seemed to be encouraging Floridians to stop criminals from breaking into their homes.
The governor was not mincing words, it seems. He called for the state to “band together” so everyone can “lift people up.”
It is reprehensible for criminals to take advantage of a disaster by looting homes. But to many, this is the perfect time to rob. Often the power is out, people are not home, and law enforcement is busy coordinating recovery efforts. Some think this is their perfect opportunity to make off with someone else’s valuables.
But DeSantis is pretty clear. Some states might look the other way, but Florida will not tolerate looting after this storm.
Key Takeaways:
- DeSantis gave a sober warning to looters in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia.
- The Republican sold looters, “You loot, we shoot.”
- He vowed that law enforcement would prosecute anyone who tries to loot homes.
Source: Daily Wire
