Courtesy: Evan El-Amin- Shutterstock- WILKES-BARRE, PA – Former President Donald Trump with a serious look as he delivers a speech at a campaign rally
West Palm Beach, FL. — At his West Palm Beach, Florida, golf club on Sunday, former president Donald Trump was the subject of what the FBI described as “appears to be an attempted assassination.” This occurred just nine weeks after the Republican presidential nominee escaped another attempt on his life. The former president declared himself safe and well, while a man was being held by the authorities.
About 400 yards distant, through the course’s undergrowth, U.S. Secret Service officials stationed a few holes up from where Trump was playing observed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle protruding through.
According to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, the gunman abandoned the rifle, two backpacks, a GoPro camera, and an aiming scope when an agent shot. He then left in an SUV. A nearby county’s law enforcement later stopped the man.
It was the most recent startling event in a campaign year filled with unheard-of turmoil. Trump was shot on July 13 at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, with a bullet that just missed his ear. Vice President Kamala Harris emerged as the party’s nominee after Democratic President Joe Biden withdrew from the contest eight days later.
Furthermore, it raised further concerns regarding Secret Service protection operations in light of the organization’s acknowledged shortcomings in stopping the attempted assassination this summer.
Martin County Sheriff William Snyder stated that the individual who was held appeared composed and emotionless when he was stopped.
“He never inquired, ‘What’s the deal?'” There is obviously a lot going on, law enforcement with their long rifles and blue lights. Snyder claimed that he never questioned it.
“There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL,” Trump said to his supporters. “Nothing will slow me down,” he wrote. “I refuse to give up!”
According to a person familiar with Trump’s actions who spoke on condition of anonymity and was not permitted to discuss them publicly, he returned to his own club, Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach.
A suspected shooter approached Trump
The impact of the news on his timetable and the dynamics of the campaign was not immediately apparent. Trump had scheduled appearances in Michigan and on Long Island, New York, on Tuesday and Wednesday. He was scheduled to give a live speech about cryptocurrencies on the social media platform X on Monday night from Florida.
“We ask that you remain vigilant in your daily comings and goings,” read an email sent to Trump campaign staffers that the AP was able to receive.
“As the final 50 days of President Trump’s campaign approach, we must keep in mind that we can only protect America from those who would destroy it by uniting as a single team.”
After receiving briefings on the subject, Biden and Harris both released statements denouncing political violence. Harris continued, saying that “we all must do our part to ensure that this incident does not lead to more violence” and that she was “deeply disturbed” by what had happened that day.
In order to guarantee that the Secret Service “has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former President’s continued safety,” Biden said he has instructed his team to do just that.
Following the incident, Trump spoke with supporters such as Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, and several Fox News anchors. After spending several hours with Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson described him as “unstoppable.”
The host of Fox News, Sean Hannity, described live his talk with Steve Witkoff, the former president’s golf buddy.
As they were going to putt on the fifth hole, they heard a “pop pop, pop pop.” He claimed that Witkoff related how Secret Service agents “pounced” on Trump and “covered him” in a matter of seconds to keep him safe.
This past weekend, Trump made his way back to Florida from a tour of the West Coast that included fundraisers in Utah and a Friday night event in Las Vegas. On Sunday, his campaign made no public announcements regarding Trump. He plays golf in the mornings most of the time.
Following the attempted assassination of Trump in July, security measures have been strengthened. When he arrives at Trump Tower in New York, the building’s outside is walled in by parked dump trucks. He now speaks behind protective glass during outdoor gatherings.
Trump had the Florida golf course closed while he played, but there are still a few spots near the property’s edge where golfers may be seen from the fence line. The area is usually secured several holes in front and behind Trump by Secret Service personnel and cops riding golf carts and ATVs. Additionally, agents typically send an armored car onto the course so that, in the event of a danger, Trump can be swiftly protected.
If Trump were president, the entire golf course would be surrounded by law enforcement, but since he isn’t, “security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible,” according to the Palm Beach County sheriff.
“It’s likely that there will be a few more people surrounding the perimeter the next time he visits the golf course,” Bradshaw predicted. “However, the actions taken by the Secret Service were exactly the right ones.”
Trump thanked the Secret Service and law police for keeping him safe in a late Sunday social media post, referring to them as “brave and dedicated Patriots” and stating that it had been “certainly an interesting day!”
He was scheduled to receive an in-person briefing on Monday from acting Secret Service director Ronald Rowe regarding the investigation into the attempted assassination, according to a person with knowledge of the agenda who was not permitted to talk in public.
The security surrounding past presidents varies based on threat levels and exposure; the strongest precautions are usually implemented just after they leave office. past presidents and their spouses are protected by the Secret Service for life.
Due to his increased visibility and his campaign to run for president once more, Trump has a larger protective detail than some other past presidents.
Three law enforcement sources told the AP that the individual in custody was Ryan Routh. Because they were not permitted to discuss the ongoing investigation, the authorities who identified the suspect spoke under anonymity.
Documents indicate Prior to relocating to Hawaii in 2018, Routh, 58, spent the majority of his life in North Carolina. He supported Trump’s reelection in a social media post in 2020, but in more recent times, he has shown support for Biden and Harris.
According to an interview with The New York Times last year, Routh spent several months in Ukraine trying to recruit Afghan soldiers who were escaping the Taliban to fight there.
The inquiry was being headed by the FBI, which was trying to find a motive. Updates were sent to Attorney General Merrick Garland on a regular basis. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents were lending support to the investigation.
According to the FBI, “they have responded to West Palm Beach, Florida, and are looking into what looks to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump.”
Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican from Florida, stated on X that the people “deserve the truth about the would-be assassin and how he was able to get within 500 yards of the former president and current GOP nominee.” The state would conduct its own inquiry.
On Sunday, news media were not accompanying Trump. As is customary for major party nominees and the president, Trump’s team has not organized for a protective pool of reporters to accompany him on his travels. Although Harris does not always have a protection pool, she does let reporters accompany her when attending public events.
Following the issuance of a “very urgent BOLO” or “be on the lookout” alert by the FBI, Secret Service, and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect was captured in a matter of minutes, according to Martin County Sheriff Snyder.
After “immediately flooded” northbound I-95, according to Snyder, his deputies “pinned down on the car, got it safely stopped, and got the driver in custody.”
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
