WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Diya TV) — An attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump was under investigation Sunday after Secret Service agents thwarted the attack at his Florida golf club. The agents recognized the gunman when he raised his rifle and pointed it toward Trump as the former president played a round of golf on Sunday. It happened just nine weeks after another attempt to assassinate Trump, this time at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said Secret Service agents on the course noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle poking out of shrubbery about 400 yards away. One agent opened fire, prompting the suspect to drop the rifle and escape in an SUV. Authorities apprehended the suspect, identified as Ryan Routh, 58, in a neighboring county.
Routh, who once lived in North Carolina and had only recently moved to Hawaii, had a record of posting pro-Trump statements online but lately professed his allegiance to President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Routh seemed to have spent some time in Ukraine where he was reportedly trying to recruit Afghan soldiers to fight the Taliban.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Bradshaw lauded the Secret Service for a swift response, saying they did just exactly what they are trained to do. He added that security around Trump is going to tighten up following the incident- next time Trump visits the golf course increased perimeter patrols.
In a posting to his followers, Trump wrote, “There were gunshots around my vicinity, but before rumors begin running wild that I have been taken advantage of, or worse still, that I’m dead, I wanted you to know this first: I’M SAFE AND WELL!” He then posted a statement on Truth Social, which continued, in part: “I want to thank our amazing U.S. Secret Service and law enforcement for their outstanding work under trying conditions, as well as all of those tremendous first responders in Florida!.
The recent assassination attempt raises questions about Secret Service protocols in the wake of this latest assassination attempt on Trump. Following an assassination attempt in July on Trump’s life at a rally in Pennsylvania, the security detail for Trump was bumped up. There are additional safety measures at New York’s Trump Tower and also at outdoor rallies, where Trump now speaks behind bulletproof glass.
President Biden and Vice President Harris responded to the attempted breach by condemning the attack in different statements. President Biden told the people that he is confident with all his resources, the Secret Service will make sure Trump is safe and sound, while Vice President Harris expressed deep concern over the day’s events, calling on people to remain calm and put an end to violence along political lines.
The FBI leads the support with help from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Attorney General Merrick Garland said he is being kept informed of the investigation into the matter. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also announced that the state would conduct its own inquiry into how the attacker was able to get so close to the former president.
The incident does not seem to influence the agenda of Trump’s campaign as he is scheduled to hold events on Monday evening, as well as in Michigan and New York. The Republican presidential nominee continues his campaign, and his team reminds his staff and supporters to remain vigilant.
What had happened gave the country a ripple of concern, with Trump’s allies, such as JD Vance from Ohio and Lindsey Graham from South Carolina, visiting him in an attempt to check on the former president. According to House Speaker Mike Johnson, who reportedly stayed with the former president for over six hours after the incident, Mr. Trump is “unstoppable.”Now that the attempted assassination still features authorities trying to ascribe a motive to the actions, the investigations continue.
