DeSantis, conservatives erupt on AP report justifying NAACP 'travel advisory' for Blacks in wake of shooting

A report from the Associated Press appeared to suggest the NAACP’s past warning for Black Americans against traveling to Florida was retroactively justified by a racist shooting, leading to sharp backlash against the outlet from the Ron DeSantis campaign and other conservatives.

Earlier this year, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) received extensive media attention after issuing a warning that Black Americans should avoid traveling to Florida, accusing Gov. DeSantis of an "all-out attack" on Black Americans. The move by the NAACP was widely dismissed on the right as a politicized message to grab attention.

But AP reporter Steve Peoples cited the advisory in a post on X about how DeSantis "scoffed" at the group but "just three months later" is dealing with the aftermath of the shooting in Jacksonville, where a White gunman shot and killed three Black people in what police say was a racially motivated massacre.

"Ron DeSantis scoffed when the NAACP issued a travel advisory this spring warning Black people to use ‘extreme care’ if traveling to Florida," Peoples wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, as he linked to a piece he co-wrote. "Just three months later, DeSantis is leading his state through the aftermath of a racist attack that left three African Americans dead. Black leaders in Florida — and across the nation — say they’re outraged by his actions and rhetoric ahead of the shooting."

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA - JULY 17: Republican presidential candidate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis delivers remarks at the 2023 Christians United for Israel summit on July 17, 2023, in Arlington, Virginia.  ((Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images))

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The AP report, "Florida Governor Ron DeSantis faces Black leaders’ anger after racist killings in Jacksonville," slammed DeSantis for denying that America is still subject to "systemic racism." It also quoted NAACP President Derrick Johnson saying DeSantis deserved blame for the killings.

"What Gov. DeSantis has done is created an atmosphere for such tragedies to take place," Johnson said. "This is exactly why we issued the travel advisory."

"The leading civil rights group argued that the state’s loose gun laws and the Republican governor’s ‘anti-woke’ campaign to deny the existence of systemic racism created a culture of ‘open hostility towards African Americans and people of color,’" the AP piece said. 

While DeSantis responded to the murders by declaring that "Florida, the state, and its people condemn the horrific racially-motivated murders, perpetrated by a deranged scumbag," the piece noted multiple Black leaders were outraged that DeSantis did not explicitly describe the killer as a racist.

The DeSantis campaign fired back in a statement to the AP.

"’This shooting was a terrible tragedy, and it is reprehensible that The Associated Press has decided to collect and amplify false talking points as ‘reporting’ on this horrific event,’ said DeSantis campaign spokesman Bryan Griffin. ‘Ron DeSantis has condemned these racially motivated murders repeatedly in the strongest language possible. … He will not tolerate racial hatred or violence in Florida, and we reject your politicization of this horrible event."

A 21-year-old White man opened fire at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday, killing three people. (Jacksonville Sheriff's Office)

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Peoples was fiercely criticized on X for his framing.

"The AP continues to be absolute garbage and serve as the main propaganda outlet for the Left (WaPo a close second)," Twitchy's Doug Powers wrote.

"This is just vile hackery from the AP," RealClearInvestigations Senior Writer Mark Hemingway wrote. "DeSantis had zero to do with a random crime and Florida remains far safer for Black people than much of the country governed by NAACP approved politicians."

Other commentators disputed the rhetoric of the piece itself.

"If the elected leader is personally responsible for every shooting in his area, I have some bad news for you…" LibsOfTikTok creator Chaya Raichik wrote alongside a chart.

"Remember when a trans shooter killed a bunch of kids  in a Tennessee Christian school and the left said they had it coming because of the state's anti-child mutilation laws?" TheBlaze host and commentator Auron MacIntyre wrote.

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"By your ‘logic.’ given the amount of black-on-white crime in Florida, white people should be fleeing the state en masse," Claremont Institute Senior Fellow Jeremy Carl wrote.

Others called it "just vile," "garbage," and "truly loathsome stuff."

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Alexander Hall is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..