Former President Donald Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. The suspect, identified as 58-year-old Ryan Routh from Hawaii, was armed with a scoped AK-47 rifle and positioned 300-500 yards away from Trump near a chain-link fence.
A Secret Service agent spotted Routh and opened fire, causing him to flee. Routh was later apprehended on I-95 after being spotted by a bystander. Authorities discovered a sniper’s nest with a GoPro camera, which Routh had set up to record the shooting. This marks the second assassination attempt on Trump in two months, following a previous incident in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The FBI is leading an ongoing investigation into what they are treating as an “attempted assassination.” Trump’s campaign communications director, Steven Cheung, confirmed Trump’s safety. Trump himself reassured supporters via email, stating, “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!” He added, “Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER!” Routh has a history of criminal charges, including a 2002 conviction for possession of a weapon of mass destruction. He previously owned United Roofing and relocated to Hawaii in 2018.
The Secret Service and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office are investigating the incident. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw described the situation as “engaged” and noted that “with a rifle and scope like that is not a long distance.” The White House has been briefed on the incident, with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris expressing relief that Trump is safe.
The Secret Service’s protective operations are under scrutiny following this second attempt on Trump’s life. Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, confirmed that Trump was in good spirits despite the incident. It remains unclear if this event will affect Trump’s campaign schedule. Video: LIVE UPDATES AFTER DONALD TRUMP TARGETED IN SECOND ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR3rkyNybLQ
