Former United States President Donald Trump and Republican presidential flagbearer has said he is “safe and well” after what authorities said appeared to be a second assassination attempt on the Republican candidate even as prime suspect identified as Ryan Wesley Routh has been arrested.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) said it is investigating “what appears to be an attempted assassination” of Trump yesterday after the Secret Service said it opened fire on a gunman at the former president’s golf resort in Florida.
This comes even as police in Florida continue to detain Routh, the man named as the suspect in a possible assassination attempt near Donald Trump’s Florida golf club.
According to detectives, Routh was calm and emotionless when he was arrested yesterday September 15, 2024.
According to USA based media reports, Routh is aged 58 years and is a registered Democrat.
The terrifying incident at Trump International Club comes almost exactly two months after a separate assassination attempt against Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The suspect was found unarmed, as a backpack, GoPro camera and AK-47 style rifle that a gunman left behind when fleeing the scene have already been located.
According to local media reports, Martin County Sherriff William D. Snyder said Routh ‘was not displaying a lot of emotions’ when police arrested him.
Snyder added that the suspected shooter was ‘relatively calm’ and ‘never asked’ why he was being detained.
Records show that Routh is not a first time offender and was convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction, per online North Carolina Department of Adult Correction records but could not provide details about the case.
USA president Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been briefed on the security incident involving Trump and they are both “relieved to know that he is safe,” according to the White House.
“As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country, and I have directed my team to continue to ensure that Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former President’s continued safety.” President Biden said in a statement yesterday evening.
“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 on the social media platform X.
Biden and Harris, both of whom are in Washington, DC, with no public events Sunday, will be kept updated by their team. Attorney General Merrick Garland has also been briefed, according to Department of Justice spokesperson Dena Iverson.
Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, wrote on X later yesterday that the former president is in “good spirits.”
“I am glad President Trump is safe. I spoke to him before the news was public and he was, amazingly, in good spirits.” Vance said.
