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Attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Florida

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Attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Florida
Part of security incidents involving Donald Trump
Backpack and SKS-pattern rifle in concealed location
Map
Location of the incident
LocationTrump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
Coordinates26°40′00″N 80°5′21″W / 26.66667°N 80.08917°W / 26.66667; -80.08917
DateSeptember 15, 2024; 2 months ago (2024-09-15)
1:31 p.m. (UTC−04:00)
TargetDonald Trump[1]
Attack type
Assassination attempt[2]
WeaponSKS-style rifle
Deaths0
Injured0
MotiveUnder investigation
AccusedRyan Wesley Routh
Charges
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On September 15, 2024, Donald Trump, a former president of the United States and then-nominee of the Republican Party in the 2024 presidential election, survived an assassination attempt while golfing at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. A suspect, later identified as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, was spotted hiding in nearby shrubbery while aiming a rifle at a member of Trump's security detail.[3] A Secret Service agent fired upon Routh, who fled the scene and was later captured in Martin County.[4] No injuries were reported. Officials say that Routh intended to shoot Trump,[5][6][7] and Routh had been indicted on five federal charges by September 24, including attempting to assassinate a presidential candidate. The incident occurred two months after Trump survived a previous assassination attempt while speaking at a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania. Routh has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and a preliminary trial date has been set for February 10, 2025.[8]

Background

The Trump International Golf Club had been noted as a potential target for attempts on Donald Trump's life.[9] The incident occurred 64 days after a previous assassination attempt on Trump at a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania, in which Trump was shot and wounded in his upper right ear by a sniper.[10] Law enforcement officials said that the golf course's perimeter was not fully secured as Trump was not an incumbent president.[11] The Secret Service did not search the perimeter of the golf course, as Trump's visit there was not a scheduled event.[12]

Incident

On September 15, 2024, Donald Trump was golfing at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach,[13] with his friend and donor Steve Witkoff.[14] Trump was walking along the fifth hole when a Secret Service agent conducted a sweep of the sixth hole ahead of him for any threats. During the sweep, a man was seen aiming a rifle at the agent while hiding in shrubs approximately 400 yards (370 m) away.[15] The position in which the man had been is well-known as a spot frequently used by paparazzi to photograph Trump at his golf course.[16] At 1:31 p.m. EDT[17] (approximately 12 hours after the gunman's 1:59 a.m. arrival),[18][19] the agent, having seen the rifle barrel move,[3] fired at the man, who dropped his weapon and fled in a vehicle.[20] After the shot was fired, Trump was escorted off the course by his Secret Service protective detail.[19] The man did not have a clear line of sight on Trump and did not fire his gun.[15][21] A witness took a photo of the suspect's vehicle, assisting authorities in tracking it down.[22] The golf course was locked down shortly after the incident,[6] and no injuries were reported.[23][24]

After the gunman fled the scene, a "be on the lookout" was issued to law enforcement with details about the suspect's car, a black Nissan SUV. After pulling over the vehicle, Martin County Sheriff's Office deputies forced the driver out of the car and arrested him at gunpoint.[25] According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, the driver was detained as a person of interest while he was driving northbound on Interstate 95 from Palm Beach County.[26] The sheriff's units "waited [for] a while" to stop the vehicle to avoid engaging in a high-speed chase. An SKS-style rifle[19] with a removed serial number, a scope, two backpacks containing ceramic tiles that could deflect a bullet, a plastic bag containing food, and a GoPro camera, were recovered at the scene.[15][19][27] The driver was unarmed at the time of his arrest.[28]

Accused

Main article: Ryan Wesley Routh
Routh being detained after the incident

Shortly after the incident, authorities identified the suspect as Ryan Wesley Routh, a 58-year-old Hawaii resident who lived for most of his life in Greensboro, North Carolina.[29]

Routh had a history of political activity online and offline, with his political engagement dating back to at least 1996.[30] Voting records showed that he did not vote in the 2016 elections,[31] but in a 2020 Twitter post, he claimed to have voted for Trump in 2016 and later regretted it.[32] In a self-published ebook in 2023, he wrote about his supposed previous support for Trump, saying, "I am man enough to say that I misjudged and made a terrible mistake."[33] He reached out to Iran in his book, saying they should feel free to assassinate Trump for the United States withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, as well as Routh himself for supporting Trump in the past.[33][34] Routh condemned the January 6 Capitol attack as being "perpetrated by Donald Trump and his undemocratic posse".[30]

After his disillusionment with Trump, Routh announced his support for various presidential opponents of Trump, including both Democratic and Republican presidential candidates.[35][33] Additionally, Routh donated $140 to Democratic causes since 2019. He registered in North Carolina as an independent voter in 2012.[35][33] He voted in North Carolina's Democratic primary elections in 2024.[30]

Routh had multiple prior criminal charges, including a 2002 conviction for "possessing a weapon of mass death and destruction" after barricading himself in a building with a fully automatic weapon. As part of a plea deal, he agreed to undergo a mental health evaluation and accept recommended treatments. He had over one hundred criminal counts filed against him in North Carolina, which included driving violations and possession of stolen items. Routh typically received parole or probation for his offenses, with no record of time that he was in prison.[30][36][34]

Pre-trial

After being arrested as the potential suspect, Routh was charged with two offenses: possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with the serial number removed.[37] Less than a day after the arrest, he was seen smiling and laughing with his lawyer.[38] Footage of his arrest was also released to the public.[39] Routh was charged on September 24 with attempting to assassinate a presidential candidate, as well as "assaulting a federal officer" and "possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence."[40]

On September 23, 2024, the Department of Justice published a letter written by Routh several months prior to his arrest, stating:[3][41][42]

Dear World, this was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job. Everyone across the globe from the youngest to the oldest know that Trump is unfit to be anything, much less a U.S president. U.S presidents must at bare minimum embody the moral fabric that is America and be kind, caring and selfless and always stand for humanity. Trump fails to understand any of-

An unnamed witness had contacted law enforcement on September 18, stating that Routh had dropped off a box containing the letter at his house several months before the incident. The witness opened the box after the incident.[3] According to authorities, the letter indicates that Routh may have planned the assassination attempt for months, and simultaneously acknowledged months in advance that he might fail.[43] The Department of Justice's decision to publicize the note would be criticized by former US Attorney General William Barr, as it told people to ‘finish the job’ of killing Trump with a cash award, which could lead to potential future assassination attempts and plots.[44]

The case was assigned to Judge Aileen Cannon, the same Trump-appointed judge who two months earlier had dismissed the federal prosecution of Trump regarding his possession of classified documents.[45]

On September 30, Routh pleaded not guilty to all five counts brought against him in federal court.[46][47] The next day, Cannon set a preliminary trial date of November 18.[48]

On October 17, Routh's lawyers asked Cannon to recuse herself to avoid the appearance of bias in favor of Trump.[45] However, Cannon refused to step down.[49] As a result, Routh's trial date was moved to February 10, 2025.[8]

On November 4, one day before the 2024 United States presidential election, Routh sent a letter to a local newsroom stating that if Trump wins the election, it will mark "the end of Democracy and the beginning of a Civil War" and that Trump "will not let go of the power given to him." He also begged the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office to "help lead the country the way to Democracy." Prosecutors noted that Routh's handwriting of the letter matched the same handwriting as the alleged note written months prior discussing his failure to assassinate Trump, which confirmed Routh wrote the note.[50] Upon hearing that Trump won the presidential election, he urged the country "to remove the power of our military by the President and place it with Congress before January," and would proceed to call Trump a "dictator."[51]

On November 26, Routh addressed a note to the newsroom Politico. In the note, he would criticize both the Republican party and the Democratic party, claiming they do not let any Independent politicians get recognized in any race.[51] Routh would also compare himself to Thomas Matthew Crooks, the perpetrator of Trump's previous assassination attempt in Pennsylvania, claiming they were both “ready to die for freedom and democracy." At multiple points, he contemplated the prospect of another "civil war." Prior to sending the note, Routh told a prison guard who believed Routh was a Democrat that the Independent politicians are the better candidates.[52]

Investigation

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation of the incident,[15] with the United States Secret Service and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office also participating.[13] The FBI is treating the incident as an attempted assassination.[7]

On the day of the alleged assassination attempt, Routh's motive was described as unknown.[26] Shortly after the incident, law enforcement linked the license plates for the Nissan SUV used by Routh to a 2012 Ford truck that was reported as stolen. The witness who initially spotted the fleeing suspect identified Routh after he was taken into custody. Data from his cell phone showed that he had arrived at the golf course at 1:59 a.m., where he had waited for roughly 12 hours.[19]

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis pledged to open a state-level investigation into the shooting.[53]

On September 12, merely three days before the assassination attempt, Routh exchanged messages with British-trained commandos from Afghanistan about recruitment to the Russo-Ukrainian War over the instant messaging app WhatsApp. Routh's account on the app consisted of several discussions with special forces from Afghanistan about how to get to Ukraine to fight in the war. As of November 2024, all of the chat logs on Routh's WhatsApp account are being investigated by The Independent and investigative newsroom Lighthouse Reports.[54]

On November 26, prosecutors revealed that Routh stalked Trump for over a month prior to the attempted assassination, with cellphone data placing him near Trump's golf course and Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence over the course of August and September. Police also discovered a list discussing Trump’s past and expected appearances written by Routh around August.[51]


Evidence from the alleged assassination attempt
  • The SKS semi-automatic 7.62x39 caliber rifle allegedly used by Routh in the assassination attempt
    The SKS semi-automatic 7.62x39 caliber rifle allegedly used by Routh in the assassination attempt
  • The backpack and rifle allegedly used by Routh in the assassination attempt
    The backpack and rifle allegedly used by Routh in the assassination attempt
  • The rifle allegedly used by Routh, shown to have its serial number missing
    The rifle allegedly used by Routh, shown to have its serial number missing
  • Police body-cam footage of Routh's apprehension
  • Mapping of the assassination attempt
    Mapping of the assassination attempt
  • The note Routh wrote months prior
    The note Routh wrote months prior

Reactions

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump's opponent in the 2024 presidential election, were briefed on the incident.[23] The White House released a statement saying: "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."[26] In a separate statement, Harris said: "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."[6]

Shortly after the shooting, Elon Musk, executive chairman of Twitter, quote-retweeted a post on the site which asked "Why they want [sic] to kill Donald Trump?", responding that "no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala". Although he initially defended his wording, Musk deleted the tweet following widespread condemnation, claiming the next day that his remarks were intended as a joke. The White House issued a statement calling Musk's comment "irresponsible", writing that "violence should only be condemned, never encouraged or joked about".[55][56] The Secret Service additionally opened an investigation into Musk over his remarks.[57][needs update]

See also

References

  1. ^ Tucker, Eric; Richer, Alanna Durkin; Matat, Stephany (September 23, 2024). "U.S. to seek attempted assassination charge against man accused of staking out Trump at golf course". CTV News via Associated Press. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  2. ^ Rozsa, Lori; Berman, Mark; Stein, Perry; Barrett, Devlin (September 23, 2024). "Trump gunman said to have left note: 'This was an assassination attempt'". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Lapointe, Markenzy (September 23, 2024). "Written Factual Proffer in Support of Pretrial Detention" (PDF). Fox News. FOX Television Stations. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  4. ^ Devine, Curt; Chapman, Isabelle; et al. (September 16, 2024). "Man detained in apparent assassination attempt on Trump criticized former president on social media". CNN. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  5. ^ "Office of Public Affairs | Ryan Wesley Routh Indicted for Attempted Assassination of Former President Trump | United States Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. September 24, 2024. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Holmes, Kristen; Millar, John; Sullivan, Kate; Perez, Evan; Herb, Jeremy (September 15, 2024). "Trump is safe following shooting at Florida golf course; suspect detained". CNN. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Shen, Michelle; LeBlanc, Paul; D'Antonio, Isabelle; Forrest, Jack; Chowdhury, Maureen (September 15, 2024). "Live updates: FBI investigating apparent assassination attempt of Trump in Florida". CNN. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Trial date for Ryan Routh in Trump assassination attempt moved to February". WBPF. October 22, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  9. ^ Dawsey, Josh; Leonnig, Carol D. (September 15, 2024). "Trump was golfing at his club when Secret Service agents heard gunshots". The Washington Post.
  10. ^ McGraw, Meridith; Allison, Natalie (September 15, 2024). "Trump safe after gunshots reported near Florida golf club". Politico. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
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  12. ^ Kelly, Kate (September 16, 2024). "Secret Service Admits Not Searching Golf Course Perimeter, Drawing New Scrutiny". The New York Times. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Trump uninjured after gunfire near his Florida club". The Washington Post. September 15, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
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  29. ^ Goldman, Adam; Gibbons-Neff, Thomas; Thrush, Glenn; Rahim, Najim (September 15, 2024). "Suspected Gunman Said He Was Willing to Fight and Die in Ukraine". The New York Times. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
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  42. ^ Goudsward, Andrew (September 23, 2024). "Alleged Trump gunman wrote of 'assassination attempt,' prosecutors say". Reuters.
  43. ^ Thrush, Glenn (September 23, 2024). "Suspect in Trump Assassination Attempt Outlined Plans in Note". New York Times.
  44. ^ King, Ryan (September 23, 2024). "Bill Barr blasts DOJ for releasing letter of alleged would-be Trump assassin Ryan Wesley Routh: 'Dumbfounded'". Aol.
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  47. ^ Leonard, Kimberly; Gerstein, Josh (September 30, 2024). "Ryan Routh pleads not guilty in alleged Trump assassination attempt". Politico. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
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  50. ^ Lewis, Kaitlin (November 4, 2024). "Trump Suspect Ryan Routh Predicts Civil War if Donald Wins". Newsweek. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  51. ^ a b c Lubin, Rhian (November 26, 2024). "Second alleged Trump assassin writes jailhouse letter and name checks first gunman". Aol. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
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  54. ^ "Revealed: How Donald Trump's alleged assassin tapped up UK-trained Afghan commandos to fight in Ukraine". The Independent. November 23, 2024. Retrieved November 23, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  55. ^ Dolak, Kevin (September 16, 2024). "White House Responds to Elon Musk Post Wondering Why 'No One is Trying to Assassinate Biden/Kamala'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 16, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
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  57. ^ Sherratt, Madeline (September 17, 2024). "US Secret Service aware of Musk's deleted tweet about absence of assassination attempts on Biden and Harris". The Independent. Independent Digital News & Media Ltd. Archived from the original on September 18, 2024. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
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