A man is in custody for what is being described by the FBI as an "attempted assassination" of former President Donald Trump at his golf resort in West Palm Beach, Florida. The suspect, identified as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh with ties to Hawaii, is accused of pointing a rifle with a scope towards the location where Trump was present. This information comes according to law enforcement officials who spoke to Hawaii News Now.
The incident took place on Sunday, around 2 pm local time, according to reports. Secret Service agents saw the rifle's muzzle sticking out of some shrubs and responded with gunfire. Routh fled the scene in his vehicle but was apprehended later in a neighboring county. Trump was quickly moved to safety, and no injuries were reported. The former president conveyed to his followers via email that he was safe, stating, "I AM SAFE AND WELL!" according to Hawaii News Now.
The suspect, Routh, a man who had reportedly been living in Kaaawa on Oahu, had previously been interviewed by Hawaii News Now and described by neighbors as a helpful carpenter. His son, Oran, described Ryan as "Ryan is my father, and I don’t have any comment beyond a character profile of him as a loving and caring father, and honest, hardworking man. I don’t know what’s happened in Florida, and I hope things have just been blown out of proportion, because from the little I’ve heard, it doesn’t sound like the man I know to do anything crazy, much less violent. He’s a good father, and a great man, and I hope you can portray him in an honest light," in a statement to CNN. This impression stands in stark contrast to the violent act he is accused of perpetrating.
Authorities found the rifle along with two backpacks, a scope for aiming, and a GoPro camera left at the scene, suggesting the suspect may have intended to record the event. The Al Jazeera report indicated that Ryan Wesley Routh previously voiced support for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris after expressing disillusionment with Trump, whom he initially supported in 2016. However, the complex political views of Routh also included calls for Biden and Harris to show solidarity with victims of a prior assassination attempt on Trump.
Trump, who has shown resilience in the face of danger, confirmed his safety and undeterred resolve in a statement, "FEAR NOT! I am safe and well, and no one was hurt. Thank God!" He added, "But, there are people in this world who will do whatever it takes to stop us. I will not stop fighting for you. I will Never Surrender." According to reports from Al Jazeera, the Trump campaign has not announced any changes to his schedule following the incident. Trump is poised to continue with his plans for an upcoming town hall in Flint, Michigan.
