Attempted assassination on Donald Trump thwarted at Florida golf club

On 15 September 2024, former US President Donald Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt while playing golf at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. The FBI is leading an investigation into the incident, with the suspect, now reportedly identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, reportedly in custody. Multiple officials have confirmed to US media outlets that Routh, a man in his late 50s, is the individual behind the failed attempt. The incident unfolded at approximately 1:30 p.m. local time while Trump was golfing with donor Steve Witkoff. According to law enforcement sources, a Secret Service agent on duty spotted a rifle barrel with a scope protruding from a fence as Trump moved between the fifth and sixth holes. The agent engaged the suspect, prompting him to flee the scene. Routh, later apprehended in Martin County, was reportedly between 300 and 500 yards away from Trump at the time of the incident. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw held a press conference detailing the timeline of events. A witness, who saw Routh fleeing into a black Nissan, provided critical information by photographing the vehicle’s license plate. This led to the suspect's swift capture by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. A long gun, identified as an AK47-style rifle with a scope, two backpacks, and a GoPro camera were recovered at the scene. The contents of the backpacks included a ceramic tile, though its significance remains unclear.

Trump was unharmed and addressed the incident in an email to his supporters shortly after the event. “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!” he wrote. Trump also affirmed his resolve, declaring, “Nothing will slow me down. I will never surrender!” President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were quickly briefed on the situation and expressed their relief at Trump’s safety. Harris later posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Violence has no place in America.” https://www.twitter.com/VP/status/1835403813475570113 Attorney General Merrick Garland has also been informed of the incident, according to the Department of Justice. This marks the second assassination attempt targeting Trump in recent months. On 13 July 2024, at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump was grazed by a bullet when gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks fired at him from a nearby rooftop using an AR-15-style rifle. The attack left one audience member dead, and Crooks was killed by a Secret Service sniper. Following that incident, the US Secret Service came under scrutiny, and its then-director, Kimberly Cheatle, resigned two weeks later. In Sunday’s incident, the quick actions of the Secret Service are again being praised. Sheriff Bradshaw explained that the agency had an agent stationed ahead of Trump’s position, who spotted the rifle barrel and acted swiftly to prevent a potential tragedy. “The Secret Service agent on the course did a fantastic job,” Bradshaw said. Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, confirmed that the former president is “in good spirits” despite the close call. “I spoke to him before the news was public, and he was, amazingly, in good spirits,” Vance posted on X. https://www.twitter.com/JDVance/status/1835428708464873580 South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Trump, also remarked, “He’s in good spirits and more resolved than ever to save our country.”