'I am safe, well...': Trump after apparent 2nd assassination bid
A statement by Republican presidential candidate and former United States President Donald Trump's campaign has said that he is safe after an incident involving gunshots near his location on Sunday. The event took place at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, where he was playing golf at the time. "President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity. No further details at this time," Campaign Spokesman Steven Cheung said.
Suspect arrested
According to reports, the suspect, identified as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh from Hawaii, was apprehended after fleeing the scene in a vehicle. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has not commented on his arrest. In a post on X, Trump's son Donald Trump Jr, cited local law enforcement as saying an AK-47 automatic weapon had been discovered in bushes and a suspect has been apprehended.
Read Trump Jr's statement here
Secret Service's swift action
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw reported that Secret Service agents noticed a rifle barrel protruding from bushes approximately 400 to 500 yards away from Trump. They responded by firing at least four rounds of ammunition around 1:30pm (1730 GMT). The suspect then dropped his rifle, left behind two backpacks and other items, and fled in a black Nissan car.
Golf club lockdown
Following the incident, an alert was issued to statewide agencies with information on the suspect's vehicle. This led to sheriff's deputies in neighboring Martin County apprehending Routh on I-95 about 64km (65km) from the golf course. The Trump International Golf Club was immediately locked down after the incident. Further investigation is underway.
What President Biden and VP Harris said
Following the incident, both President Joe Biden and Democratic Party nominee Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed about the situation. The White House confirmed that they were relieved to know Trump was safe. "Violence has no place in America," Harris stated on X. Biden also directed his team to ensure that the Secret Service has adequate resources for Trump's protection and announced an active investigation into the incident.
Previous assassination attempt on Trump
This incident follows a previous assassination attempt on Trump during his campaign rally in Pennsylvania on July 13, which resulted in the death of an attendee. Gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks had fired multiple shots at Trump at the rally in Butler and one of the bullet hit past former President's ear. Notably, that was the first shooting of a US president or major party presidential candidate in more than four decades.
