Ex-president of the U.S., Donald Trump was the target of what the FBI said “appears to be an attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday, just nine weeks after the Republican presidential nominee survived another attempt on his life. The former president said he was safe and well, and authorities held a man in custody.
At the time of the assassination attempt, Trump was about 300-500 yards (275-460m) away from the spot. An agent "immediately engaged" with the person holding the rifle, who fled, Sheriff Rik Bradshaw said. The suspect did not fire his weapon during the incident. On September 16, acting Secret Service director Ron Rowe said Trump was "across the course and out of sight of the sixth green" when the Secret Service agent opened fire. At no point is the suspect believed to have had a clear line of sight to the former president. Records show that Routh's phone had been in the area for about 12 hours, from around 02:00 to 13:31 local time, according to court documents and police officials. Agents fired four to five rounds of ammunition upon seeing the gun muzzle. The suspect dropped the rifle and fled in a vehicle, abandoning the weapon along with two bags, a scope for his rifle and a GoPro camera, Sheriff Bradshaw said. A witness captured a photo of the vehicle and provided it to law enforcement. The suspect was arrested by police driving northbound on the I-95 highway after crossing into Martin County, roughly 61km from Trump's golf course. The car was later determined to have license plates belonging to a 2012 Ford that had previously been reported stolen.
While Trump’s immediate safety was secured, attention quickly shifted to the suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, whose complex political history and motivations raise broader concerns about domestic political violence. The suspect in the assassination attempt against Donald Trump is a staunch supporter of Ukraine who was rejected by the country's armed forces and failed to make much of a contribution to the war effort.
Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, who appeared in court on Monday, is from North Carolina and spent most of his life there, but most recently lived in Hawaii. He voted for Trump in 2016 but later turned against him, and made statements of support for, and contributions to, other politicians. He is suspected of going to the Trump International Golf Course in Florida on Sunday, armed with an SKS-style rifle. The FBI recovered the weapon and scope, two backpacks and a GoPro camera from an area heavy with bush cover.
BBC Verify found multiple social media profiles linked to Ryan Wesley Routh, where he frequently discussed recruiting foreign fighters to join the war in Ukraine. Despite his efforts, most of his organizing took place in the U.S., and in 2022, he was rejected by Ukraine’s International Legion due to his lack of combat experience. The FBI is currently investigating his connections to Ukraine and issued multiple subpoenas to companies for access to his phone and social media data.
Routh’s social media also featured pro-Palestinian, pro-Taiwan, and anti-China messages, including claims of Chinese "biological warfare" and calling COVID-19 a "biological attack." In a 2020 post, he expressed his disillusionment with Donald Trump after supporting him in 2016. Routh also urged President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to visit the victims of a previous assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania.
In an email to supporters, Trump said: “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!” His running mate, J.D. Vance, and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said they spoke with Trump after the incident, and both said he was in “good spirits.” Late Sunday, Trump posted a message on social media thanking the Secret Service and law enforcement for keeping him safe, calling them “brave and dedicated Patriots,” adding that it was “certainly an interesting day!”
As Trump recovers from yet another attempt on his life, the U.S. grapples with deeper questions: Is it time for stricter gun regulations, or does the Second Amendment offer the best protection in an increasingly polarized political climate?
The assassination once again made it clear that gun right issues in the U.S. continue to remain on the agenda. Murders and assassinations have been extremely common in the U.S. compared to other developed countries, and gun control issues are highly discussed about in the country for years. With over 600 mass shootings in 2023, it has by far the one of the highest homicide-by-firearm rate among developed countries according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
“Gun control” refers to any legal measure intended to prevent or restrict the possession or use of guns, particularly firearms. (In a broader historical sense, the term also refers to legal limits on the possession or use of other arms, including those that predate the invention of gunpowder.) In most developed countries, gun control is strict. For instance, in some countries like China and Japan, only people that are abled and trained and are meeting narrow conditions are allowed to own firearms, and few licenses are issued. In others it is a fraught political issue, pitting those who regard it as necessary for public safety against those who view it as a dangerous infringement of personal liberty.
In the wake of the assassination of a prominent figure, the discourse surrounding gun rights and gun control has intensified, particularly among those who viewed the incident through the lens of political polarization. Supporters of gun rights argue that such events highlight the need for individuals to be armed for self-defense, reinforcing their stance against any form of gun control. Conversely, advocates for stricter regulations contend that the incident underscores the urgent need for comprehensive gun control measures to prevent future violence. This tragic event has ignited debates on the effectiveness of existing laws, the balance between personal freedoms and public safety, and the role of political rhetoric in shaping perceptions of gun ownership. As the nation grapples with these complex issues, calls for a more nuanced conversation around responsible gun ownership and effective policy reform have become increasingly vital.
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