A moving bubble of U.S. Secret Service agents thwarted what appears to be the second assassination attempt against Donald Trump as the former president was playing golf on Sunday.
Agents fired on a suspect after seeing a rifle muzzle poking through shrubbery and a chain link fence that lines the boundary of Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, at about 1:30 p.m.
Trump, who was not injured, was 300 to 500 feet away from the suspect when agents opened fire, law enforcement officials said. The suspect fled the scene and agents recovered a rifle with a telescopic sight, two backpacks containing ceramic tiles, and a GoPro video camera, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said in a news conference Sunday.
The suspect was arrested a short time later in a black Nissan SUV on I-95 about 45 miles north of the golf course. He was identified as Ryan Routh, 58, formerly of Hawaii and North Carolina.
Routh was charged with possession of a firearm while a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number in federal court on Monday.
How did agents stop the suspect?
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Sunday’s incident comes more than two months after a gunman shot at Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. Trump’s ear was bloodied. One man died and two others were injured. A Secret Service sniper killed the shooter.
Large spaces like outdoor rallies and golf courses – both favored by Trump – make Secret Service protection difficult. Golf courses, with large, wide-open areas containing trees, shrubs, or other items that limit visibility, have unique challenges. They are usually bordered by roads or public lands.
When Trump plays golf, he travels the course in a protective bubble of agents. They cover a range of three to five holes ahead of and behind Trump, discreetly using high-tech tools for any sign of a potential assailant, USA TODAY reported.
Agents do this while trying to accommodate other golfers on the course. They usually try to blend in by wearing golf clothes and traveling in golf carts in front of and behind the former president as he plays, according to CNN. Other agents ahead of Trump scrutinize the grounds and surroundings as he, and they, proceed along the course.
It was one of these agents who spotted the rifle in the shrubs and opened fire, police said. An estimated four to six shots were fired by that agent and others. Court records later say the suspect did not fire.
The backpack with ceramic tiles could have been used as makeshift body armor, reported NewsNation.
Phone records later indicate the suspect was in the area from 1:59 a.m. to 1:31 p.m. Sunday.
What weapon did the suspect have?
Routh, formerly of Hawaii and Greensboro, N.C., left behind a weapon described as an “SKS-style rifle.” The rifle’s serial number was scratched out, court documents later reveal.
How the incident unfolded
All times are Eastern and are approximate.
1:31 p.m.: A Secret Service agent shoots at suspect after seeing rifle in bushes. The suspect flees and a witness sees him getting into a black Nissan SUV.
2:14 p.m.: The Martin County Sheriff’s Office stops the suspect’s vehicle on I-95 northbound. The witness is brought in and identifies the suspect.
2:49 p.m.: On X, Anthony Guglielmi, Secret Service chief of communications, says Trump is safe.
3:27 p.m.: On Facebook, Martin County Sheriff’s Office says a suspect is in custody.
5 p.m.: Secret Service, FBI, and Palm Beach County sheriff hold news conference about incident.
5:21 p.m.: J.D. Vance, Trump’s running mate, tweets that Trump is safe.
Contributing: Josh Meyer, John Bacon, Michael Collins, USA TODAY
Source: USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Reuters
