Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump arrives at Harry Reid International Airport to board a plane on Saturday following a campaign trip in Las Vegas.
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Alex Brandon/AP
The FBI said former President Donald Trump was the target of an “apparent assassination attempt” on Sunday afternoon at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
A suspect, identified by local authorities as Ryan Wesley Routh, is in custody.
In a press conference on Sunday, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the Secret Service notified local authorities about multiple gunshots in the square around 1:30 p.m. ET.
According to Bradshaw, a Secret Service agent stationed one hole ahead of Trump spotted an AK rifle sticking out of a golf course fence. The agent immediately “confronted” the person with the rifle. The gunman then sped away in a black Nissan. A Secret Service spokesman said the agents opened fire on the person.
Bradshaw said the suspect was about 300 to 500 yards from Trump. “With a rifle and scope like this, that’s not a great distance,” he said. He added that the suspect left behind two book bags and a GoPro camera.
A witness was able to give authorities the suspect’s car model and license plate number, according to Bradshaw. Officers later found Routh on Interstate 95.
Martin County Sheriff William D. Snyder told WPLG that the suspect was “relatively calm” when arrested. “He didn’t show much emotion. He never asked, ‘What is this about?'” Snyder added.
In July, the Republican presidential candidate was shot and wounded in an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Trump “safe and well”
In an email from his campaign team, Trump wrote: “There have been gunshots near me, but before the rumor mill gets out of control, I want you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND FINE!”
Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance (Ohio), said he spoke with Trump after the shooting. “I’m glad President Trump is safe. I spoke to him before the news broke and he was surprisingly in good spirits,” he wrote on X.
Local officials said the entire golf course would have been surrounded if it had been a sitting president. But for a presidential candidate, only a few Secret Service agents were present and the bushes surrounding the golf course made surveillance difficult.
“The threat level is high,” Rafael Barros, special agent in charge of the Miami Field Office, told reporters, adding, “We have increased the number of our forces.” He added, “We live in dangerous times.”
The White House said President Biden and Vice President Harris were also briefed on the security incident at Trump International Golf Course.
“They are relieved to know he is safe. Their team will keep them regularly updated,” the statement said. Attorney General Merrick Garland has also been informed and is monitoring the situation, his office said.
The Secret Service also informed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer about the incident, and he praised the Secret Service for its quick work.
“There is no place for political violence of any kind in this country. The perpetrator must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” he said in a statement.
