With Hurricane Milton bearing down on Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a stern warning to those considering looting in the wake of the storm. Speaking at a briefing at the state’s Emergency Operations Center, the governor emphasized that Florida’s status as a “Second Amendment state” could mean dire consequences for anyone attempting to exploit the chaos.

“This is not going to be an opportunity for folks to take advantage of people,” DeSantis said. “If you think you’re going to go in and loot, you got another thing coming. Now, you go into somebody’s house after the storm passes, thinking that you’re going to be able to commit crimes, you’re going to get in really serious trouble. And quite frankly, you don’t know what’s behind that door in a Second Amendment state.”

DeSantis’s remarks echoed statements he made during past storms, such as Hurricane Idalia in 2023 and Hurricane Ian in 2022. He referenced the well-known slogan, “You loot, we shoot,” which has become a familiar sentiment in the aftermath of disasters. 

“This part of Florida, you’ve got a lot of advocates and some proponents of the Second Amendment,” he said, recalling signs in previous years that warned potential looters against taking advantage of vulnerable communities.

He also highlighted the swift legal action taken against those who attempted to loot in past storms including Hurricane Helene barely two weeks ago. 

“We’ve already brought a lot of people, held people accountable in post Helene, and we will be very swift across all levels of government to throw the book at people,” DeSantis said. He made it clear that both state and local authorities would be vigilant in preventing post-storm lawlessness.

The governor’s message was unambiguous: any attempt to take advantage of Floridians struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton would be met with strong resistance, both from law enforcement and potentially from armed property owners. 

“When you make these bad decisions, you’re opening yourself up to responses from property owners who may be inside that house,” DeSantis warned.

As Hurricane Milton approaches, DeSantis’s words serve as both a caution to would-be criminals and a reassurance to residents that not only will their safety and property be defended in the storm’s aftermath, but if they are forced to defend it personally, they have the legal right to do so.