On September 15, 2024, former President Donald Trump narrowly escaped what the FBI has labeled an assassination attempt at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Ryan Wesley Routh was arrested in connection with the incident and faces multiple charges, including possession of firearms by a convicted felon. This attempted attack on Trump follows a similar event just two months earlier, where a shooting by Thomas Crooks at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, resulted in minor injuries for Trump and the death of a bystander.
Routh was spotted hiding in shrubbery with an AK-47-style rifle aimed at Trump. Secret Service agents responded by firing at Routh, who fled the scene but was later apprehended on Interstate 95.
His criminal record spans several decades. In 2002, he was convicted in Greensboro, North Carolina, for possessing a fully automatic machine gun, which authorities classified as a weapon of “mass death and destruction.”
Later, in March 2010, he faced multiple charges in North Carolina for possession of stolen goods. In 2019, the FBI received an unverified tip that Routh, a convicted felon, was in possession of a firearm, which was then forwarded to local law enforcement in Honolulu.
Routh has a family and his eldest son, Oran, has come out to defend him. He described him as “a loving and caring father, and honest hardworking man”.
“I don’t know what’s happened in Florida, and I hope things have just been blown out of proportion, because from the little I’ve heard it doesn’t sound like the man I know to do anything crazy, much less violent,” he said in his text message to CNN
Additionally, he traveled to Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion, attempting to recruit volunteers for the defense of Kyiv. However, the International Legion of Foreign Fighters reported that Routh was never a member and was considered a hindrance by some during his visit.
In response to the attempt on his life, Trump has made public statements, expressing gratitude towards the Secret Service but also launching a fierce counterattack against his political adversaries. In a statement to his supporters, Trump assured them of his safety and criticized President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for what he claims is their inflammatory rhetoric contributing to the attack.
Trump contends that their criticisms and warnings about his threat to democracy are inciting violence against him. “Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at,” Trump declared, accusing his political rivals of fostering an environment where such attacks can occur.
His opponent in the November elections, VP Kamala Harris has responded to the asssination attempt in a post on X. She wrote, “I have been briefed on reports of gunshots fired near former President Trump and his property in Florida, and I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America.”
In a statement, the White House added, “The President and Vice President have been briefed about the security incident at the Trump International Golf Course, where former President Trump was golfing. They are relieved to know that he is safe. They will be kept regularly updated by their team.”
