Ryan Wesley Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump, reportedly did not have Trump in his sights and did not fire a shot while allegedly waiting for nearly 12 hours at a golf course in West Palm Beach, according to authorities.
During a news conference, Secret Service Acting Director Ron Roe revealed that an agent spotted a gun barrel protruding from the tree line near the sixth green of the Trump International Golf Club shortly before 1:31 p.m. ET on Sunday, prompting the agent to fire at the suspect. Roe confirmed that Routh did not fire at the agent nor did he have Trump within his line of sight at any point.
Roe indicated that because Trump’s visit was considered “off the record,” a security sweep of the golf course was not fully executed prior to his arrival. He said the former president’s movement was not on any public schedule.
The investigation has shown no evidence that Routh was aware of Trump’s presence at the golf course, and security measures were heightened following a previous assassination attempt on Trump in July. These measures included sniper positions and aerial surveillance.
Routh’s cellphone data indicated he arrived near the tree line at the golf course early Sunday morning. While Trump was on the course, a Secret Service special agent discovered what seemed to be a rifle and discharged rounds towards Routh, who fled the scene but was later apprehended.
Authorities uncovered a loaded SKS-style rifle, along with various personal items, at the location where Routh was spotted. The weapon’s serial number was found to be unreadable.
Routh appeared in a federal court in West Palm Beach facing charges of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and for having a firearm with an obscured serial number. He has a lengthy criminal history, including past convictions for weapons offenses. He did not enter a plea and is scheduled for further court hearings in the coming weeks.
The FBI continues to investigate the incident, which is being treated as an attempted assassination. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have both condemned political violence and emphasized the need to resolve differences through lawful means. Biden also called for increased support for the Secret Service after the latest threats against the former president.