Donald Trump was the target of an apparent assassination attempt on Sunday in Florida, according to the FBI. The Republican presidential candidate was reported safe and unharmed by both his campaign and law enforcement officials.
The US Secret Service confirmed that one or more agents had “opened fire on a gunman” near the boundary of Trump’s golf course. An “AK-47 style rifle” equipped with a scope, along with a GoPro camera, was recovered at the scene.
During the confrontation, the suspect, who had been hiding in the bushes, fled the scene in a black vehicle. Thanks to a witness, authorities were able to track down the car, leading to the arrest of a potential suspect.
“We have somebody in custody right now that is a potential suspect,” said Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw during a news conference.
US media identified the suspect as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, who had previously shown support for Ukraine. He had been interviewed in 2022 by AFP while in Kyiv, where he had traveled to back Ukraine’s war effort.
Trump was playing golf at his West Palm Beach course, not far from Mar-a-Lago, when the suspect was spotted one hole ahead of him, according to Sheriff Bradshaw.
“President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity,” Trump’s campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung confirmed. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris also expressed her relief, stating she was glad Trump was unharmed.
Trump later reassured his supporters, saying, “Fear not! I am safe and well, and no one was hurt. Thank God!” He also thanked the Secret Service and law enforcement for their swift actions in a post on his Truth Social platform, calling it “an interesting day.”
