Trump safe after apparent assassination attempt
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Former President Donald Trump was reported to be safe after a potential assassination attempt – and the alleged gunman is now in custody.
Republican nominee Donald Trump was unharmed Sunday in what authorities are investigating as another potential assassination attempt, after a man pointed a rifle into a Florida golf course where the former president was playing. Police have detained a suspect whose name has not yet been released.
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Sunday’s incident occurred while Trump was golfing at his course in West Palm Beach, Fla. Following the usual security procedure, a Secret Service agent moved one or two holes ahead of the former president, 300 to 500 yards away, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.At around 1:30 p.m., between the fifth and seventh holes, the agent noticed a rifle muzzle poking through the tree-lined chain-link fence surrounding the golf course, Bradshaw said. The agent opened fire and Trump’s detail rushed him to a holding room. The gunman fled in a black Nissan, leaving behind an AK-47-style rifle, two bags and a camera mounted to the fence to record, according to Bradshaw.
“With a rifle and a scope like that, that’s not a long distance,” Bradshaw said.
It was the second time in just over two months that a man had a high-powered rifle within range of Trump, renewing concerns about Trump’s safety in the height of the campaign leading up to Election Day on Nov. 5. The Secret Service has long viewed golf courses as especially challenging because they are open to parts of the public and near heavily trafficked areas. The agency repeatedly denied requests for the Trump campaign for additional security measures at his public events, with officials citing limited resources.
“The threat level is high,” Rafael Barros, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Miami field office, told reporters Sunday. “We live in danger times.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said Sunday that it is investigating “what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.”
“The Secret Service, in conjunction with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, is investigating a protective incident involving former President Donald Trump that occurred shortly before 2 p.m.,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement.
Trump said that he was “safe and well” in a campaign email that was sent after a protective incident involving Trump at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
West Palm Beach Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at a Sunday afternoon press conference that the suspect was engaged by a Secret Service agent on the golf course, approximately 300-500 yards away from Trump. He said that the agent spotted a rifle barrel poking through a chain link fence at the edge of the property.
Bradshaw said that an AK-47 style rifle, two backpacks and a Go Pro camera were found in the area where the suspect was found.
A Secret Service representative said that all shots were fired by the agent.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Department said in a Facebook post that deputies had arrested an individual, “believed to be connected” to the shooting.
The New York Times, CNN and Fox News identified the suspect in custody as Ryan Wesley Routh. USA TODAY has not independently confirmed the person’s identity.
The incident occurred on the same day that the Republican nominee posted “I hate Taylor Swift” on his Truth Social platform and his running mate Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) admitted that he had “no regrets” for propagating fake stories about Haitian migrants that led to multiple threats in the town of Springfield, Ohio.
Some X reaction:
This is Ryan Routh, the man who allegedly tried to assassinate Trump today.
He voted for Trump in 2016.
He apparently supported a Haley/Vivek ticket in 2024.
So, when MAGA world says "they keep trying to assassinate Trump," what they apparently mean is "Republicans keep trying… pic.twitter.com/yo0lhqT2aM
— Joshua Reed Eakle ? (@JoshEakle) September 15, 2024
WTF pic.twitter.com/lp8q4hn9Ya
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) September 16, 2024
All he does is play golf dumbass. https://t.co/Pu9gTnEDLu
— Jim Stewartson, Counterinsurgent ?????? (@jimstewartson) September 15, 2024
Stop with this BS of “They tried to ki*l him again.”
We already know that the 20-year-old Butler guy was a registered Republican and was also searching for information about President Biden.
Today’s suspect is alive which means that we’re going to know his motive very soon.… pic.twitter.com/tyrPn4hZ8a
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) September 15, 2024
wouldn’t really call it an assassination attempt
more like a concept of an assassination attempt
— YS (@NYinLA2121) September 15, 2024
I know zero liberals who want Trump harmed.
They all want to beat him in November.
— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) September 15, 2024
I'm glad the nutball who pointed a gun through the bush at Trump's golf course was neutralized by USSS before he could get to either Trump or anybody else there. BTW, he's not a Democrat or Republican or Left or Right. The man is just absolutely nuts. https://t.co/4C57AvgK5I
— Aaron Astor (@AstorAaron) September 15, 2024
Be careful trump, too many of these assassination attempts and people will become numb to them like school shootings.
— Covie (@covie_93) September 15, 2024
As it turns out, the man who attempted to assassinate Trump, Ryan Routh, voted for him in 2016 but was disappointed with his job performance. He then became a huge fan of Vivek Ramaswamy. He’s a certifiable fruit loop. pic.twitter.com/5rBuQZpqzk
— Carlos Turnbull (@cturnbull1968) September 15, 2024
This is the 3rd assassination if you count the debate.
— Rick Lenzie (@RickLenzie) September 15, 2024
Does anybody know if we're wearing ear tampons this time?
— Rep. Jack Kimble (@RepJackKimble) September 15, 2024
So, it wasn’t a Haitian immigrant that tried to shoot Trump. It was another, wait for it — Republican white man. pic.twitter.com/0n3KBDgNCG
— Lakota Man (@LakotaMan1) September 16, 2024
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