The FBI announced on Sunday that it was investigating "what appears to be an attempted assassination" targeting Donald Trump at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, just nine weeks after Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, survived a similar attack. Trump confirmed he was safe.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw reported that U.S. Secret Service agents opened fire on a man aiming a high-powered, scoped rifle at the club while Trump was playing on the course.
According to Bradshaw, the gunman had placed two backpacks on a fence and was equipped with a GoPro camera. Positioned roughly 400 to 500 yards (365 to 457 meters) away, he concealed himself in bushes as Trump played on a nearby hole. The suspect eventually abandoned his weapon, fled in an SUV, and was later detained in a neighboring county.
The incident follows a previous July shooting at a Pennsylvania rally, where 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh from Kaaawa, Hawaii, was arrested. Three law enforcement officials, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, identified the suspect but were not authorized to disclose details publicly.
This latest event adds to a turbulent campaign season, which has been marked by unprecedented instability. It comes about two months after Trump was shot at a Pennsylvania rally, suffering a minor graze to his ear. Just one week later, President Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race.
This weekend, Trump returned to Florida after a West Coast trip, which included a Friday rally in Las Vegas and a fundraiser in Utah. His campaign hadn’t shared details on his Sunday plans, but he often starts his day with golf, followed by lunch at the club, one of three he owns in Florida.
Following the assassination attempt in July, Trump’s security measures have been heightened. At Trump Tower in New York, dump trucks line up outside the building as a barricade, and at outdoor rallies, he now speaks from behind bulletproof glass.
On Sunday, Trump returned to his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, where he resides, according to a source familiar with the situation.
The suspect was apprehended within minutes, according to Martin County Sheriff William D. Snyder, after the FBI, Secret Service, and Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office issued an urgent “be on the lookout” (BOLO) alert with details of the vehicle, license plate, and a description of the suspect. Snyder said his deputies quickly stationed along northbound I-95, covering every exit from Palm Beach County up to St. Lucie County. A patrol officer soon spotted the vehicle, confirmed the license plate, and executed a controlled stop, taking the suspect into custody. Snyder noted that the man was unarmed at the time and remained calm, showing little emotion or surprise at the police stop.
Routh, the suspect, has been interviewed by media outlets like the New York Times and Semafor in recent years regarding American volunteers in Ukraine. He reportedly visited Kyiv in early 2022 and told Semafor in March 2023 that he had tried to recruit U.S.-trained Afghan fighters to join the conflict, although the Ukrainian Defense Ministry declined to issue them visas.
Late Sunday, social media accounts on Facebook and X linked to Routh were suspended. Posts seen prior to suspension showed the user engaging with political news and tagging figures like Trump, Tulsi Gabbard, and Nikki Haley.
Following reports of the incident, President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris were briefed and updated on the investigation. The White House expressed relief that Trump was safe, with Harris stating she was "glad" he was unharmed, adding that "violence has no place in America." Biden shared similar sentiments and directed his team to ensure the Secret Service has all necessary resources to protect the former president.
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