The FBI is investigating an apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump after a man armed with an AK-style rifle was spotted near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
The suspect, identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was taken into custody in nearby Martin County after fleeing the scene. He made his first appearance in federal court Monday morning and was charged with federal gun crimes, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of firearm with an obliterated serial number. Additional charges are likely.
Trump, who was golfing with longtime friend and adviser Steve Witkoff, was unharmed and quickly moved to a secure location. This would be the second assassination attempt against Trump’s life within the last nine weeks.
Speaking to reporters at the White House Monday, President Biden said that he was thankful the former president was safe. Biden added that the Secret Service “needs more help,” and urged Congress to address the agency’s needs.
What happened on Sunday, according to authorities
During a press briefing on Monday, U.S. Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe said an agent who was sweeping the sixth hole ahead of Trump at approximately 1:30 p.m. spotted what appeared to be a rifle sticking out shrubbery near the golf course’s perimeter. The agent opened fire, and Routh fled the scene without firing the weapon.
“He did not fire or get off any shots,” Rowe said, adding that the suspect did not have line-of-sight to the former president.
Law enforcement officials recovered the AK-style rifle from the scene and are processing additional items found at the location, including two backpacks and a GoPro camera.
According to the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, cellphone location data obtained by the FBI indicates that Routh “was located in the vicinity of the area of the tree line” for nearly 12 hours, from just before 2 a.m. ET Sunday until about 1:30 p.m. ET.
Witness helped authorities track down suspect
The suspect fled in a vehicle but was quickly apprehended on I-95 in Martin County, north of Palm Beach.
Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said the suspect was unarmed at the time of the arrest. Bradshaw said that a witness saw a man fleeing from the golf course bushes. The witness took a photo of the suspect’s black Nissan, and a license plate reader spotted the vehicle.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office posted footage from an officer’s body camera of Routh’s arrest to its Facebook page.
The motive for the attack remains unclear.
Trump responds: ‘I AM SAFE AND WELL!’
After Sunday’s incident, Trump remained at the club for several hours while Secret Service agents double-checked the security at his Mar-a-Lago residence before he returned there safely, according to law enforcement.
Trump emailed his supporters: “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!”
Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, said on social media that the former president is “in good spirits.”
Fox News host Sean Hannity said on air that he spoke to Trump and Witkoff after Sunday’s incident. According to Hannity, the pair were golfing at the fifth hole when they heard “pop, pop, pop, pop.” Witkoff said that within seconds, Secret Service agents “pounced” and “covered” Trump.
According to Hannity, Witkoff said that after Secret Service agents protected him, Trump thanked all of them individually before saying: “‘I was even. It was the fifth hole. I had a birdie putt. I really wanted to finish the hole.’ So classic Trump, if you ask me.”
Vice President Kamala Harris said she was “glad” that Trump was safe. “Violence has no place in America,” she posted on X.
In a statement from the White House, President Biden commended the work of law enforcement agencies that protected Trump and said he was “relieved” that Trump was unharmed. “As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country, and I have directed my team to continue to ensure that Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former President’s continued safety,” Biden’s statement read.
Questions about Trump’s security
On July 13, Trump was grazed by a bullet during an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pa. One rallygoer was killed and two others were injured. The Secret Service killed the shooter, identified as a 20-year-old who climbed to the roof of a building nearby.
A bipartisan House task force investigating the July assassination attempt requested a briefing from the Secret Service this week about Sunday’s apparent assassination attempt.
“The Task Force is monitoring this attempted assassination of former President Trump in West Palm Beach this afternoon,” Republican Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania and Democratic Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado said. “We have requested a briefing with the U.S. Secret Service about what happened and how security responded.”
After that attack, the Secret Service came under scrutiny. The agency acknowledged denying some requests from Trump’s team for increased security at his events in the years leading up to the most recent incident. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned amid scrutiny over the agency’s handling of Trump’s security.
Since July, authorities have increased security measures around Trump. However, because Trump isn’t the current president, the entire golf course was not surrounded with security — and an agent was sweeping the grounds just one hole ahead of Trump, Bradshaw said.
“If he was [the president], we would’ve had this entire golf course surrounded,” Bradshaw said. “But because he’s not, the security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible.
“They provided exactly what the protection should have been,” Bradshaw added. “And their agent did a fantastic job.”
Cover thumbnail photo via Alex Brandon/AP
