Former President Donald Trump reveals he is safe after shots were fired near his golf club in West Palm Beach, following which FBI officials say an AK-47-style rifle was recovered and a male suspect arrested with officials treating the incident as a second assassination attempt on Trump.
On Sunday (September 15), around 2 p.m., Donald Trump was golfing at his International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida when he was rushed to safety after a Secret Service agent saw the muzzle of a rifle push through a fence line as the former President was golfing.
The Secret Service engaged the suspect and opened fire, causing them to flee the scene. According to a male witness, the suspect left the area in a Black Nissan. With the help of the witness’s account, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office was able to track down the suspect’s car, pull him over, and arrest him.
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Police say the man was taken into custody without incident and without any weapons on him. Instead, officials found the AK-style rifle ditched in bushes near the golf club. They also found two backpacks with ceramic plates, suggesting he was prepared to go into combat. Inside one of the bags was a GoPro, suggesting the suspect was going to film the incident.
Immediately following the shooting, a spokesperson from Donald Trump’s campaign spoke out and confirmed he was safe. Steven Cheung told reporters that “President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity.” He said that no further details were available “at this time.”
Soon after, the former President’s son Donald Trump Jr. tweeted, “SHOTS FIRED at Trump Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida. An AK-47 was discovered in the bushes, per local law enforcement. The Trump campaign has released a statement confirming former President Trump is safe. A suspect has reportedly been apprehended.”
The Secret Service also tweeted that they were working with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to investigate a protective incident involving Trump. Around the same time, FOX News received word from Secret Service agents that they fired on the suspect and that with the help of local law enforcement, they were able to apprehend the suspect.
Soon after, FOX News updated that the FBI was taking over the case as the threat elevated upon learning that the suspect targeted Donald Trump. FOX shared that U.S. officials were treating the suspect as “a potential assassin,” and the incident as a second assassination attempt on Donald Trump. The incident arrives just 2 months and 2 days after the first attempt on Donald Trump’s life at his rally in Butler, PA on July 13.
During a press conference with FBI officials, Secret Service officials, and local law enforcement, officials said that they are working on warrants and a pre-trial detention motion to keep the suspect in custody as they investigate. Officials said the suspect in this incident was about 300-500 yards from Trump. After the press conference, FOX News soon reported that their law enforcement sources told them the suspect’s name is Ryan Wesley Routh.
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After the incident, the former President broke his silence and released an alert from his campaign stating, “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL! Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER! I will always love you for supporting me. Unity. Peace. Make America Great Again. May God Bless You.”
Vice President Kamala Harris also addressed the shooting on X. She tweeted, “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.”
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