Former President Donald Trump was swiftly taken to safety on Sunday following what the FBI described as a possible assassination attempt at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. This incident occurred nearly two months after a shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which resulted in injuries to Trump and the death of one of his supporters. New details are still emerging regarding the suspect, identified by US media as Ryan Routh.
The altercation began at the Trump International Golf Club, located about 15 minutes from Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago. Secret Service agents, who conduct security sweeps ahead of the former president, were the first to notice the armed individual. They spotted the barrel of a rifle—initially described as similar to an AK-47—protruding from some bushes while Trump was approximately 300-500 yards away. An agent quickly confronted the suspect, who subsequently fled.
Agents fired four to five shots at the suspect, who discarded his rifle and escaped in a black Nissan vehicle, leaving behind the weapon, two backpacks, a scope, and a GoPro camera. A witness captured a photo of the fleeing car and provided it to authorities. The suspect was eventually apprehended while traveling north on the I-95 highway, about 38 miles from the golf course. Law enforcement sources have confirmed that the suspect’s name is Ryan Wesley Routh.
Information about Routh is gradually becoming available. His son, Oran, remarked that his father is a “loving and caring” individual and expressed confusion about the incident. Routh’s social media presence has also been examined, revealing posts that supported foreign fighters going to Ukraine against Russian forces, as well as pro-Palestinian and anti-China sentiments. He has stated previously that he sought to recruit Afghan soldiers for Ukraine after Russia’s invasion in 2022. Reports indicate that Routh has a criminal record, having faced multiple felony charges in North Carolina from 2002 to 2010, including carrying a concealed weapon and resisting arrest.
Fortunately, Trump was not harmed in this incident. Following its confirmation by his campaign team, he reassured supporters in a fundraising message, stating, “I AM SAFE AND WELL.” In an account shared with Fox News anchor Sean Hannity, Trump recounted hearing gunfire while on the fifth hole of the course before Secret Service members rushed to protect him.
Regarding the subsequent investigation, Jeffrey Veltri from the FBI’s Miami Field Office announced that the FBI is leading the inquiry with assistance from various law enforcement agencies. The White House confirmed that President Biden and Vice President Harris were informed about the situation and were relieved to learn of Trump’s safety. Harris expressed her concern over the potential assassination attempt, and leaders from a congressional task force emphasized their disquiet about the rising trend of political violence.
The first court appearance for Ryan Routh is scheduled for Monday at the Palm Beach County courthouse near Mar-a-Lago.