Gov. Ron DeSantis and other local and state leaders spoke Sunday in Jacksonville’s New Town neighborhood, near where three Black people were killed in a local Dollar General by a racist White gunman Saturday.
“Help is on the way,” the Governor promised.
The Governor was interrupted at first by jeers from some members of the crowd, before City Council member Ju’Coby Pittman urged the crowd to quiet down. DeSantis vowed to offer financial help to boost the security of Edward Waters College, where the gunman tried to go before he went to the store.
“We’ve already been looking to identify funds to be able to help make sure there is adequate security for Edward Waters College. We are not going to allow these institutions to be targeted by people,” DeSantis said.
The Governor said his administration had “already identified funds from the state of Florida” and that he would be “announcing some stuff tomorrow morning, which I think will help not only with security but also an attempt to help these families.”
The Governor went on to condemn the killing for a third time, saying that a “major league scumbag (came) from Clay County up here,” and that “what he did is totally unacceptable in the state of Florida.”
“We are not going to let people be targeted based on their race. We are going to stand up and we are going to do what we need to do to make sure that evil does not triumph in the state of Florida. And that means we are going to work with Edward Waters so that they have whatever security they need in Florida,” DeSantis said.
“We’ve already given a lot of money to Jewish Day schools because they’ve been targeted with anti Semitism. Well, let me tell you this. You are not going to target HBCUs in the state of Florida and get away with it. We’re going to hold you accountable,” DeSantis said. “Just know that the state of Florida stands with the community. Help is on the way.”
Not every local leader is on board with the Governor’s sentiments, or even presence, however.
It’s the audacity for me. @GovRonDeSantis @RonDeSantis is here and needs to apologize for his part in this. pic.twitter.com/EdMjHiDkLj
— State Rep. Angie Nixon (@AngieNixon) August 27, 2023
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