Fear and ghosts have resurfaced in the US this Sunday when the Secret Service opened fire on a man armed with an AK-47 who was waiting, crouched, in the bushes of one of the golf courses owned by Donald Trump in Florida, while the former president was playing. He is safe and sound and was never in danger, according to law enforcement. The suspect is in custody.
"There were shots near me, but before rumors start to spiral out of control, I want you to hear this: I am safe and well!" stated the billionaire in an email to his supporters. "Nothing will stop me. I will never give up! I will always love you for supporting me."
The FBI, which has taken over the investigation, is working on the premise that "it appears to have been an assassination attempt," the second in just two months. In a joint press conference, the Secret Service, federal agencies, and the Sheriff's office confirmed the sequence of events that occurred this Sunday around 2:00 PM local time. However, they reiterated that the investigation is just beginning, they do not rule out any hypotheses, and will provide more details once the suspect has been processed.
The former President of the United States had gone to the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach to play this Sunday and was between holes 5 and 6 with Steve Witkoff, one of his donors. Ahead, about 400 meters away, some of the security guards were checking the surroundings and cordoning off the perimeter when they noticed something suspicious. Upon approaching, they spotted the barrel of a rifle with a scope protruding from a fence. They ordered the individual to stop and opened fire. The man, who was stationed there, ran off, apparently without firing, and got into a black Nissan. A witness managed to note down the vehicle details and took a photo of the license plate. With this information, law enforcement was able to locate him on the highway minutes later and proceed with his arrest.
The suspect, identified by some media as Ryan Wesley Routh, is 58 years old, lived in Hawaii, and worked in construction. Additionally, he was obsessed with helping Ukraine: he had visited the country on occasion and was interviewed by international media for his efforts to recruit volunteers. According to CNN, he had a criminal record and had been arrested up to eight times in the past for minor offenses, including carrying a concealed weapon, possession of stolen property, and hit and run. He was even convicted over 20 years ago, in 2002, for possession of a machine gun.
Police officers at the entrance of the Trump International Golf Club where the Republican candidate was playing golf when the FBI is investigating as a new assassination attempt.JOE RAEDLEGetty Images via AFP
When the shots were heard, a few holes ahead, Trump was immediately evacuated, the golf course was closed, and the area was cordoned off. He returned to his Mar-a-Lago residence. Dozens of police patrols are in the area and are paying special attention to the bushes where the suspect would have fled and where he left the weapon, as well as two backpacks with ammunition and a GoPro camera, according to authorities.
The county Sheriff stated that the suspect was "relatively calm" when arrested, did not resist, and was not armed. "He did not show much emotion or bother to ask why he was being detained." He also did not make any comments.
The incident occurred a few weeks after the first assassination attempt suffered by the billionaire at a rally in a town in Pennsylvania, which left him lightly injured but with two fatalities, including the shooter, and several seriously injured. On that occasion, an AR-15, a very popular semi-automatic weapon in the country, was used. Now, the detained suspect was carrying an AK-47.
Since then, and following the harsh criticism that led to the dismissal of the director of the Secret Service, responsible for protecting high-ranking state officials, the security measures for the November election candidates have been significantly reinforced. The agencies praised the sharpness of the security guards on Sunday, as well as the quick response of the police to apprehend the individual who, for now, appears to be the sole suspect.
"The President and Vice President have been informed about the security incident at the Trump International golf course, where former President Trump was playing golf. They are relieved to know he is safe," the White House said in a statement: "I have been informed that there were shots fired near former President Trump and his property in Florida, and I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in the United States," added Kamala Harris in an additional message on her social media.