Florida authorities have announced that they are pursuing a criminal case against a man accused of attempting to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump. The suspect, who is already facing federal charges in connection with the assassination attempt, is now also facing a charge of attempted felony murder in the state of Florida.
The incident in question occurred after law enforcement stopped traffic on Interstate 95 to apprehend the suspect. Following his arrest, a multivehicle crash took place, resulting in serious injuries to a 6-year-old girl who was traveling with her family.
According to the state's investigation, the crash was a direct result of the suspect's actions. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody stated that the injuries sustained by the young girl, combined with the suspect's alleged criminal conduct amounting to domestic terrorism, have led to the attempted felony murder charge.
The suspect, who has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate and gun crimes, was apprehended after allegedly aiming a rifle at a Secret Service agent while Trump was playing golf at his West Palm Beach country club. The agent fired at the suspect, causing him to drop his weapon and flee the scene.
Following the incident, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the state would conduct its own investigation alongside the federal probe, with prosecutors seeking the most serious charges available under state law.
It is not uncommon for state and federal law enforcement agencies to conduct parallel investigations into crimes, as each jurisdiction may have different charges available to pursue.
