A shooting occurred near the club where Donald Trump, the Republican Party's candidate for U.S. president, was playing golf. Trump was several hundred yards away from the shooting and is safe. However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the incident, which has been classified as an attempted murder.
The suspect, who fled in a car near Trump’s golf club, has been apprehended. A weapon, resembling a Kalashnikov rifle, was found abandoned in the bushes near the golf course. A representative of the Secret Service, which protects presidents and former presidents, reported that one of their agents spotted a gun barrel protruding from the bushes and immediately opened fire on his colleagues.
A witness then saw a man get into a black Nissan and flee from the bushes. The police apprehended him on the highway leading to the neighbouring Martin County (where Trump’s golf club is located in Palm Beach County).
The local police chief stated that none of the Secret Service agents’ bullets hit the suspect. An AK-47 with a scope, two backpacks, and a GoPro camera were found among the bushes. It was confirmed that Trump is alive and well, and the incident occurred several hundred meters away from him.
Who is the Suspect?
Officials have not yet officially disclosed the identity of the person suspected of attempting to kill Trump. However, several leading American television networks and newspapers, citing anonymous law enforcement sources, report that the suspect is 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh.
According to the media, Secret Service agents observed Routh firing an automatic weapon over a wall at Trump, who was playing golf. The suspect has frequently criticized politicians, including Trump and Biden. Routh's LinkedIn profile indicates that he studied at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and moved to Hawaii in 2018. He was unable to explain to the police what he was doing in Florida.
The White House's Response
The White House confirmed that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were informed of the incident.
“They were briefed on the security incident at Trump International Golf Club, where former President Trump was playing golf. They were relieved to know that he is safe,” the White House said in a statement.
Kamala Harris, Trump’s opponent in the upcoming elections from the Democratic Party, later made a statement regarding the incident.
“I was informed of the shooting near former President Trump and his property in Florida, and I am glad that he is safe,” she wrote on social media platform X, adding: “There is no place for violence in America.”
Trump: "I Will Never Give Up"
Donald Trump’s office released a statement from the former president after the incident.
“There were gunshots around me, but before rumours start to spread, I want you to hear the following: I am alive and unharmed! Nothing can stop me. I will never give up! I will always love you for your support,” Trump wrote.
Shortly after, one of his allies, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said that he had spoken with the former president on the X platform.
“He is one of the strongest people I know, and he is more determined than ever to save our country,” Graham said.
The First Attempt on Trump’s Life
The first attempt on Trump’s life occurred on July 13 during his speech to voters in Pennsylvania. It was revealed that the assailant was 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. He fired several shots at the former president.
One of the bullets struck Trump in the ear. During the shootout, one rally participant was killed, and two others were seriously injured. Thomas Matthew Crooks was immediately shot and killed by Secret Service agents. Following the assassination attempt, the head of the U.S. Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, resigned.
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