TAMPA, Fla. — The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Division of Licensing and Commissioner Nikki Fried announced on Tuesday that 22 Floridians who were involved in the January 6 insurrection on the U.S Capitol have had their concealed weapons licenses suspended.
Fried announced the suspensions on the same day that the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee investigating the riot held its first hearing. The hearing featured testimony from four police officials who responded to the riots.
A press release announcing the suspensions did not include any names.
“The deeply disturbing events that occurred at our nation’s Capitol on January 6th were sedition, treason, and domestic terrorism – and those individuals involved in the insurrection must be held accountable for attempting to subvert our democratic process,” said Commissioner Fried. “Since charges began being filed, we are using our lawful authority to immediately suspend the licenses of 22 individuals involved in the storming of the U.S. Capitol. This is an ongoing effort, and as charges and sentences continue in the wake of this despicable attack, we will further suspend and revoke any additional licenses granted to insurrectionists.”
The FDACS Division of Licensing administers Florida’s concealed weapon licensing program and oversees Florida’s private investigative, private security and recovery services industries.
The division’s regulatory oversight of private investigative, private security and recovery services includes licensing, enforcing compliance standards, and ensuring public protection from unethical business practices and unlicensed activity.
According to a press release, the FDACS Division of Licensing has the ability to immediately suspend a license if the licensee is charged with a felony or certain other disqualifying offenses. Once a judgment is rendered, if the sentence disqualifies, FDACS can revoke the license.
