What’s known so far about the apparent assassination attempt on Trump

On Sunday, former President Donald Trump was the target of an apparent assassination attempt at his West Palm Beach golf club, according to the FBI. The suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, was spotted with a rifle near the course’s fence by Secret Service agents, who fired at him. Routh fled the scene but was later apprehended on Interstate 95 after a witness provided police with his vehicle’s license plate.

Investigations revealed Routh had been near the golf course for nearly 12 hours prior to the incident. Law enforcement recovered an SKS-style rifle, backpacks, and other equipment left behind at the scene. Trump was unharmed, and authorities praised the swift actions of the Secret Service.

Routh has a significant criminal history, including a 2002 felony conviction for possessing a weapon of mass destruction, reportedly a fully automatic machine gun. He has been involved in multiple legal cases, including charges related to bad checks, tax delinquencies, and misdemeanors from 2001 to 2010.

Although unaffiliated with any political party, Routh voted in the recent North Carolina Democratic primary. He has publicly expressed regret for voting for Donald Trump in 2016, which he mentioned on social media and in a 2023 self-published book. Routh now faces federal charges for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a gun with an obliterated serial number.

Source: NPR