Former President Trump Targeted By Apparent "Assassination Attempt" In Florida
The FBI has responded to West Palm Beach, Florida, and is investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
WEST PALM BEACH - Former President Donald J. Trump was targeted by an apparent “assassination attempt” while he was out golfing at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida according to the FBI, Secret Service, and law enforcement officials. Note: Article updated with analysis on the rifle used.
According to law enforcement officials, U.S. Secret Service located and fired upon a gunmen in the bushes armed with an AK-47 assault rifle, though our intel team noted that the rifle looks more like an SKS than an AK-47, which has also been widely noted on social media.
The suspect was identified by The Associated Press, The New York Times and Fox News as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, citing anonymous officials involved in the ongoing investigation, though so far no official government statements have named the suspect.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw spoke at a news conference and said that the agents spotted the rifle barrel at between 400 and 500 yards away from the former president as they were making sure golf holes that were about to be played by Trump were clear of any threats before Trump got to them.
After the agents spotted the gun they fired at least four shots at around 1:30 p.m., according to the statement by the Sheriff, after which the suspect dropped his weapon, along with two backpacks and other items and fled the area in a black Nissan, but not before a witness took photos of his vehicle and license plate number.
Law enforcement used the information obtained by the witness to put out a statewide alert to other agencies, which led to the suspect being apprehended on I-95, according to Bradshaw.
"We have somebody in custody right now,” he stated.
“The Secret Service agent that was on the course did a fantastic job,” Bradshaw stated adding, “What they do is they have an agent that jumps one hole ahead of time to where the president was at.”
“And he was able to spot this rifle barrel sticking out of the fence and immediately engage that individual, at which time the individual took off.”
U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris released a joint statement that said that they are “relieved” that the former President is safe.
The statement read, “The president and vice president have been briefed about the security incident at the Trump International Golf Course, where former President Trump was golfing. They are relieved to know that he is safe. They will be kept regularly updated by their team.”
Later, Biden released another statement that said, “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.”
Harris also released a statement that said, “Violence has no place in America.”
Shortly after the incident Trump released his own statement that said, “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!”
Suspect at Trump International Golf Course Charged with Firearms Offenses
Monday, September 16, 2024
For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Department of Justice: Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, of Hawaii, has been charged by a criminal complaint in the Southern District of Florida with firearms charges related to an incident at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on Sept. 15.
Routh was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession and receipt of a firearm with an obliterated serial number and made his initial appearance today before Magistrate Judge Ryon M. McCabe in the federal courthouse in West Palm Beach. A detention hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 23. The investigation remains ongoing.
According to allegations in the criminal complaint, a Secret Service agent walking the golf course perimeter saw what appeared to be a rifle poking out of the tree line. After the agent fired a service weapon in the direction of the rifle, a witness saw a man later identified as Routh fleeing the area of the tree line. Routh was later apprehended by officers from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
The complaint alleges that in the area of the tree line from which Routh fled, agents found a digital camera, a backpack, a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope and a black plastic bag containing food. The serial number on the rifle was obliterated.
According to the complaint, Routh was convicted of felonies in North Carolina in December 2002 and March 2010.
The FBI is leading the ongoing investigation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Secret Service are providing assistance.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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