Following a school shooting Thursday in Perry, Iowa, that injured at least five people, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis offered his support to Iowa but said that dealing with such shootings "is more of a local and state issue," declining to suggest any changes to federal law he'd support that would make them less frequent.
The presidential candidate touted efforts in Florida to keep schools safe in a joint interview with NBC News and the Des Moines Register. “We obviously, you know, have a responsibility to create safe environments. The federal government is probably not going to be leading that effort,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis added: “I think it is more of a local and state issue. But we’ve shown how it’s done in Florida. The things that we’ve done have been very, very effective.”
He also pointed to mental health reforms in Florida as measures that could be expanded to prevent future shootings.
We've got the news you need to know to start your day. Sign up for the First & 4Most morning newsletter — delivered to your inbox daily. >Sign up here.
“That’s an underlying sickness in society,” DeSantis said, adding, “And I think that involves things like mental health.”
But when asked if there are any changes he'd support at the federal level if elected president, DeSantis did not name any.
