Donald Trump narrowly escaped assassination attempt in Florida on Sunday
The FBI stated that former US President Donald Trump narrowly escaped an alleged assassination plot in Florida on Sunday. Ryan Wesley Routh, a suspect aged 58, was apprehended following gunfire from Secret Service agents close to the perimeter of Trump’s golf course. At the location, a powerful AK-47 style rifle equipped with a scope and a GoPro camera was found.
When Secret Service agents started shooting, Routh allegedly ran out of the bushes he was hiding in and drove away in a black vehicle. Authorities managed to locate the vehicle with the assistance of witnesses who aided police in identifying it.
“We have somebody in custody right now that is a potential suspect,” Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw told a press conference, as quoted by news agency AFP.
Also read: FBI identifies Donald Trump attacker as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks
Who is Ryan Wesley Routh?
As indicated by the New York Times, Routh used to work in construction in Greensboro, North Carolina. Routh lacked formal military experience but showed keen interest in getting involved in armed conflict, especially in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in 2022.
In a X post, previously Twitter, Routh stated he was ready to “fight and die” in Ukraine. He also promoted for ordinary people to alter the direction of worldwide disputes.
As per the New York Times, Routh expressed in his profile bio in messaging application Signal that civilians need to take action to end this war and avoid future conflicts.
“Each one of us must do our part daily in the smallest steps help support human rights, freedom and democracy; we each must help the Chinese,” his bio on WhatsApp reads.
Routh continued his actions beyond just making declarations on the internet. During a 2023 interview with The New York Times, he stated that he had gone to Ukraine to assist in the war and enlist Afghan troops.
Routh had encountered violence before. He was taken into custody in Greensboro in 2002 for locking himself inside a building with a fully automatic weapon. The charges were grave, but the result of the case is still uncertain.
