16-9-2024 (FLORIDA) Former United States President Donald Trump was reportedly the target of an “apparent” assassination attempt on Sunday, 15 September, at his golf course in Florida, according to a statement from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The Trump campaign has confirmed that the ex-president is safe and unharmed following the alarming incident.
The dramatic events unfolded at Trump International Golf Club when Secret Service agents, who were clearing holes ahead of Trump’s play, spotted a rifle barrel protruding from nearby bushes. The agents swiftly engaged the suspect, leading to an exchange of gunfire that prompted an immediate lockdown of the golf course.
Eyewitnesses report that the suspect, later identified by US media as Ryan Wesley Routh, a 58-year-old man from Hawaii, hastily abandoned an “AK-47 style” rifle equipped with a scope, along with two backpacks and other items. The man then fled the scene in a black Nissan car. A quick-thinking bystander managed to capture a photograph of the vehicle, including its licence plate, which proved crucial in the subsequent manhunt.
Authorities issued a statewide alert with the car’s registration details, leading to the apprehension of the suspect on Interstate 95 near Palm City, approximately 65 kilometres from the golf course. The FBI has yet to officially confirm the suspect’s identity.
According to Associated Press reports, records indicate that Routh had spent most of his life in North Carolina before relocating to Kaaawa, Hawaii in 2018. His social media activity suggests a keen interest in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, though the relevance of this to the incident remains unclear.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Trump’s campaign released a statement confirming the former president’s safety. The incident has drawn bipartisan concern, with Vice-President Kamala Harris expressing relief at Trump’s well-being and emphasising that violence has “no place” in American society.
