Florida Governor Ron DeSantis found himself in a fiery exchange during a press conference on September 7, following a recent racially motivated mass shooting in Jacksonville that claimed three Black lives. Here’s the whole story.
The Exchange
The press conference began on a seemingly typical note but took a dramatic turn when an unidentified individual questioned whether DeSantis bore some responsibility for the tragic events in Jacksonville.
Racist Policies
The audience member suggested that the governor’s policies might have contributed to the white gunman’s access to weapons and his decision to target people of color.
Don’t Blame Me
DeSantis responded assertively, saying, “You don’t get to come here and blame me for some madman.”
That Is Not Appropriate
His tone grew increasingly forceful, and he insisted, “That is not appropriate and I’m not going to accept it.”
Allowing People to Hunt
The exchange became increasingly heated as the audience member accused the governor of enabling people to target and harm marginalized communities, saying, “You are allowing people to hunt people like me.”
Such Nonsense
DeSantis rejected this accusation and said, “Oh, that is nonsense. That is such nonsense!”
DeSantis Outlined His Efforts
In a tense three-minute exchange, DeSantis outlined his efforts to combat crime in the state, including initiatives to incentivize police officers to move to Florida through bonuses.
The Mental Health History
One of the key moments in the exchange was when DeSantis highlighted the mental health history of the accused shooter, Ryan Palmeter.
“I Am Not Going to Take That”
“I’m not going to let you accuse me of committing criminal activity. I am not going to take that,” the governor said before arguing that Palmeter should have been ruled ineligible to possess firearms due to his history of mental illness and involuntary institutionalization for emergency mental health services as a teenager.
“He should have been ruled ineligible. But they didn’t involuntarily commit him,” DeSantis said.
The Truth
“There is the truth. There is something about the truth. It’s not — everyone doesn’t have their own truth,” he concluded.
The post “That Is Such Nonsense!” Governor Ron DeSantis Clashes with Audience Member at Press Conference Following Racially Motivated Mass Shooting first appeared on Wealthy Living.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Juli Hansen. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
