Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, has been identified as the suspect arrested after allegedly pointing an AK-47 at former President Donald Trump while he was golfing at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. According to law enforcement sources, Routh was apprehended following a dramatic incident in which Secret Service agents opened fire on him.
Routh, who relocated to Hawaii around 2018, had a background of touting left-wing causes on social media, despite also expressing support for some Republican candidates, such as Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikki Haley. He was reportedly spotted by Secret Service agents near Trump’s golf course with an AK-47 assault rifle. The agents fired at Routh, but he fled the scene, eventually being arrested on I-95 by local police.
A search of the area uncovered Routh’s “sniper’s nest,” where authorities found a backpack, GoPro camera, and the AK-47 rifle. Routh’s online activity indicated erratic behaviour, including posts targeting various politicians and public figures, as well as expressing support for Ukraine and Taiwan in their conflicts with Russia and China.
Routh’s LinkedIn profile described him as “mechanically minded,” and involved in creative projects. He also owned a shed-building company, Camp Box Honolulu, with mixed reviews.
Trump was not harmed in the incident, and law enforcement continues to investigate the motive behind the attempted attack. Attorney General Merrick Garland has been briefed on the situation.
This incident marks the second time in two months that Trump has been targeted in an assassination attempt. Trump, who was previously shot at during a Pennsylvania rally in July, reassured supporters through social media that he is “safe and well” following the latest attempt on his life.
