Donald Trump, hours after he survived another apparent assassination attempt Sunday in Florida, said he was safe and well. A website fundraising message by the former US President read, “Fear not! I am safe and well, and no one was hurt. Thank God!”
Another message from Trump read, “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but rumours start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL” (sic).
“Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER,” he said.
“I will always love you for supporting me,” Trump added.
In a message on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote, “I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes – It was certainly an interesting day! Most importantly, I would like to thank the U.S. Secret Service, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and his Office of brave and dedicated Patriots, and, all of Law Enforcement, for the incredible job done today at Trump International in keeping me, as 45th President of the United States, and the Republican nominee in the upcoming Presidental Election, SAFE.”
“THE JOB DONE WAS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING. I AM VERY PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! (sic), Trump wrote.
On Sunday, a gunman fired near the boundary of the former US President’s golf club in West Palm Beach. In an official statement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said Trump was safe and unharmed.
A potential suspect, 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, was in custody.
The attack comes just nine weeks after Trump survived an assassination attempt in Butler.
WHAT US SECRET SERVICE SAID ON ATTACK ON TRUMP
Addressing a news conference, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said, “We have somebody in custody right now that is a potential suspect.”
It was not confirmed if the gunman fired in the direction of Trump, or if he retaliated to the Secret Service’s firing.
Secret Service authorities said, “We are not sure right now if the individual was able to take a shot at our agents,” news agency AFP reported.
The motive of the attack was also yet not clear.
Officials said the Secret Service has been under intense scrutiny since its apparent failure to detect and stop a gunman from shooting at Trump in Pennsylvania.
HOW WAS THE SUSPECT ARRESTED
The US Secret Service agents, stationed a few holes up from where Trump was present, noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle sticking through the shrubbery that lines the course, roughly 400 yards away.
According to the Secret Service, the suspect bolted out of the shrubbery he had been hiding in and escaped in a black car. A witness helped police identify the vehicle and authorities tracked it down.
The US Secret Service also confirmed one or more of its agents opened fire at the gunman, and that an AK-47-style rifle with a scope was recovered along with a GoPro video camera.
According to reports, the suspect was set up 300 to 500 yards (275 to 455 meters) away, but “with a rifle and a scope like that, that’s not a long distance.”
The man who was detained had a calm, flat demeanour and showed little emotion when he was stopped, according to Martin County Sheriff, William Snyder.
Snyder also said the suspect was apprehended within minutes of the FBI, Secret Service and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office putting out a “very urgent BOLO” — or “be on the lookout” alert.
He said his deputies “immediately flooded” northbound I-95 and “we pinched in on the car, got it safely stopped and got the driver in custody,” the AP reported.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE SUSPECT
Law enforcement officials told the Associated Press that Ryan Wesley Routh was the person who pointed the rifle and was arrested.
Routh hailed from North Carolina and moved to Kaaawa, Hawaii, in 2018. He operated a company building sheds with his son.
In July, following the assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania, Routh, through his social media posts, urged Biden and Harris to visit those wounded in the shooting at the hospital and to attend the funeral of a former fire chief killed at the rally.
Records show that while living in Greensboro, North Carolina, Routh had multiple run-ins with law enforcement. He was convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction, according to online North Carolina Department of Adult Correction records.
In April 2022, Routh was interviewed by AFP, while he participated in a demonstration in support of Ukrainians trapped in the port city of Mariupol.
“Putin is a terrorist, and he needs to be ended, so we need everybody from around the world to stop what they are doing and come here now,” he told AFP at the time.
WHO ALL REACTED
Joe Biden – “I have been briefed by my team regarding what federal law enforcement is investigating as a possible assassination attempt of former President Trump today,” US President Joe Biden wrote on X, adding, “A suspect is in custody, and I commend the work of the Secret Service and their law enforcement partners for their vigilance and their efforts to keep the former President and those around him safe.”
Kamala Harris – In an X post, US Vice President Kamala Harris said she was glad that Trump was safe. “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,” Harris wrote.
Trump’s son – “Again folks! SHOTS FIRED at Trump Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida,” Trump’s son wrote on X, linking the same with the earlier, Pennsylvania assassination attempt. “An AK-47 was discovered in the bushes, per local law enforcement. The Trump campaign has released a statement confirming former President Trump is safe. A suspect has reportedly been apprehended,” he added.
JD Vance – “I’m glad President Trump is safe. I spoke to him before the news was public and he was, amazingly, in good spirits. Still much we don’t know, but I’ll be hugging my kids extra tight tonight and saying a prayer of gratitude,” he wrote on X.
TRUMP IN FLORIDA
Trump had returned to Florida this week from a West Coast swing that included a Friday night rally in Las Vegas and a Utah fundraiser. His campaign had not announced any public plans for Trump on Sunday. He often spends the morning playing golf.
It was not immediately clear whether the development would affect Trump’s campaign schedule. The former President was set to speak from Florida about cryptocurrency live on Monday night on X. He planned a town hall Tuesday in Flint, Michigan, followed by a rally Wednesday on New York’s Long Island.
According to the Associated Press, Trump’s Florida golf course was partially shut down as Trump played, but there are several areas around the perimeter of the property where golfers are visible from the fence line.
Secret Service agents and officers in golf carts and on ATVs generally secure the area several holes ahead and behind Trump when he plays. Agents also usually bring an armoured vehicle onto the course to shelter Trump quickly should a threat arise.
Read More: ‘I’ll Never Surrender’: Donald Trump Says He’s Safe After Second Assassination
