At the time of the incident, Trump was reportedly playing golf between holes five and six, a source told CNN. A Secret Service agent stationed a hole or two ahead of Trump noticed a rifle barrel sticking out of the course’s fence and quickly acted, firing at the suspect. The shooter, later identified as 36-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, was between 300 and 500 yards from Trump.
After being spotted, the suspect fled the scene in a black Nissan, but a witness was able to capture a photo of the vehicle and its license plate. Thanks to this tip, authorities were able to track Routh’s car on I-95 and detain him in Martin County, just north of Palm Beach.
Officials recovered an AK-47-style rifle, two backpacks filled with ceramic tiles, and a GoPro camera at the scene. Routh, who works as an affordable housing builder in Hawaii, had previously expressed political opinions online, often criticizing Trump and voicing strong support for Ukraine. The FBI is now investigating his background, including international links tied to his online activities.
The incident took place at the eastern edge of the golf course, while Trump had no scheduled public events. His golf outing was a last-minute addition to his day, sources said.
This attack comes just two months after a similar assassination attempt was made at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania, raising concerns over the former president’s security.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced that the state will conduct its own investigation, while the US Secret Service is also working closely with federal and international partners. The Secret Service special agent in charge of the Miami office confirmed that Trump remains safe and unharmed following the potentially deadly incident. The acting director of the Secret Service, Ronald Rowe, is traveling to Florida to oversee the response.
A congressional task force, currently investigating the earlier Pennsylvania incident, has requested a briefing from the Secret Service on Sunday’s events.