In a dramatic turn of events on Sunday, former President Donald Trump narrowly escaped an apparent assassination attempt while at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
According to the FBI, Trump was unharmed and is safe, as confirmed by both his campaign and law enforcement officials.
The U.S. Secret Service reported that its agents fired upon a gunman who was discovered near the edge of Trump’s golf course. Authorities recovered an “AK-47 style rifle” equipped with a scope, along with a GoPro video camera from the scene.
The suspect, who was initially concealed in the shrubbery, fled the area in a black car after the confrontation. A witness assisted in identifying the vehicle, which led to the suspect’s capture. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw revealed that the suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, is currently in custody. Routh, who has previously expressed support for Ukraine, was interviewed by AFP in Kyiv in 2022.
At the time of the incident, Trump was playing golf just a hole away from where the shooter was located. His campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, assured the public of Trump’s safety, while Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris also expressed relief that Trump was unharmed.
Trump later took to his website to reassure his supporters, saying, “Fear not! I am safe and well, and no one was hurt. Thank God!” He extended his gratitude to the Secret Service, Sheriff Bradshaw, and law enforcement for their swift actions. Trump also acknowledged the incident on his Truth Social platform, describing the day as “certainly interesting.”
This unsettling event marks the second time in recent months that Trump has faced an assassination attempt. He was injured in July while speaking at an outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
