FLORIDA (WBAP/KLIF News ) – The FBI announced on Sunday that it is investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination of Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club, just nine weeks after the former president survived a similar attack.
Trump was unharmed as Secret Service agents fired at a man pointing an AK-style rifle toward the course while Trump was playing, according to three law enforcement officials. The suspect fled in an SUV but was later apprehended in a neighboring county. The officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly, shared details with The Associated Press anonymously.
An AK-style weapon was found at the scene, and no injuries were reported, according to two of the officials. This latest incident is another unsettling moment in a turbulent campaign season. It follows a previous assassination attempt in Pennsylvania, during which Trump was shot, and a bullet grazed his ear. Just a week after that attack, President Joe Biden withdrew from the race.
Agents had partially shut down the course for Trump and were patrolling a few holes ahead when they spotted the armed individual. Golfers on certain parts of the course are visible from the property’s perimeter, making security a priority. Secret Service personnel generally monitor several holes ahead and behind Trump, using golf carts, ATVs, and occasionally, an armored vehicle for quick protection.
Trump had returned to Florida after a West Coast trip, which included a rally in Las Vegas and a fundraiser in Utah. His campaign did not disclose his Sunday plans, though he frequently plays golf in the mornings and has lunch at the club, one of three he owns in Florida.
Since the July assassination attempt, Trump’s security has been heightened. At Trump Tower in New York, dump trucks have been used to block off the building, and at outdoor rallies, Trump now speaks from behind bulletproof glass.
After the incident, Trump was safely taken to his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, a source confirmed.
The White House stated that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed and would receive updates. They expressed relief that Trump was unharmed.
Harris later issued a statement saying she was “glad” Trump was safe, condemning violence and asserting that it has “no place in America.”
Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Trump’s top allies, tweeted that he had spoken with Trump and described him as being in “good spirits,” calling him “one of the strongest people I’ve ever known.”
Martin County Sheriff William D. Snyder said the suspect was captured minutes after a BOLO (“be on the lookout”) alert was issued by the FBI, Secret Service, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, which included the suspect’s vehicle and license plate details.
Snyder explained that his deputies immediately canvassed I-95, deploying units to every exit from the Palm Beach County line to the St. Lucie County line. One deputy spotted the vehicle and coordinated a safe stop, taking the suspect into custody without resistance.
The suspect, now identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, remained calm and showed little emotion when stopped, according to Snyder, who noted the man did not question why he was being pulled over.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has been briefed on the situation and is receiving regular updates, a Justice Department spokesperson confirmed.
The suspect was apprehended near Palm City, about 45 miles north of Trump’s golf course. Northbound lanes of I-95 were temporarily closed during the arrest. No immediate updates were available regarding the security or location of Ohio Senator JD Vance, Trump’s running mate.