FBI investigating apparent ‘attempted assassination’ on Trump at his Florida golf club

Fifty days before the U.S. election, Republican candidate Donald Trump has been the victim of a new attack that the FBI is investigating as “an attempted assassination.” The incident occurred at the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, where the former president was playing a round.

The apparent assassination attempt on Sunday comes just nine weeks after Trump was shot at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July. On that occasion, the attacker, Matthew Crooks, 20, was shot dead by Secret Servive agents. It was the first attack on a sitting president or presidential candidate in four decades.

What happened?

At his golf club, the presidential hopeful was walking between the fifth and sixth holes when his Secret Service escort spotted a rifle barrel coming out of a perimeter fence. Secret Service agents fired shots from a distance, and the man fled in a vehicle. It is not yet known whether the alleged attacker ever opened fire.

Suspect arrested

“We were able to locate a witness, who came to us and said, ‘I saw the guy running out of the bushes. He jumped into a black Nissan, and I took a picture of the vehicle and the tag,’ which was great,” Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at a news conference. Thanks to the photo, officers located the vehicle and arrested the driver, who, according to police statements, was calm and unarmed.

The man arrested is Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, a construction worker from Hawaii. The suspect has a criminal record for minor offenses. On his social media accounts — now deactivated, but which he used frequently — he appeared to express great interest in the war in Ukraine. According to his social media profile, he had voted for Trump in 2016, but was registered as an independent.

The FBI is still investigating the motive for the apparent attempted murder. Authorities found two backpacks hidden in the bushes at the golf club, as well as an AK-47 style assault rifle and scope. A Go-Pro camera was also discovered, prompting speculation that the suspect intended to record or livestream their actions.

Trump’s response

Trump confirmed that he is “safe and well” and suffered no injuries. In a statement to supporters, the former president said that he is more committed than ever to continuing his run for the White House. “My resolve is only stronger after another attempt on my life. I will never slow down. I will never give up,” he said in the statement.

Reactions

In a statement, the White House said that both President Joe Biden and Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris were aware of the events and would remain updated on developments in the investigation.

“I am relieved to know that the former president is unharmed. There is an active investigation into this incident as law enforcement gathers more details about what happened,” President Biden said in a statement released Sunday night. “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 the Secret Service has every resource, capability, and protective measures necessary to ensure the former president’s continued safety.”

“I have been briefed on reports of gunshots fired near former president Trump and his property in Florida and I am glad he is safe,” said Harris in a message on X. “Violence has no place in America.”

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