Ryan Wesley Routh, a 58-year-old from Hawaii, has been charged with firearms offenses following an apparent assassination attempt at Trump National Golf Club in West Palm Beach. The incident, which took place on September 15, involved gunfire near the property, triggering an immediate response from the U.S. Secret Service.
Routh, a convicted felon, faces charges of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number and being a felon in possession of a gun. Federal prosecutors filed the charges in the Southern District of Florida, and Routh appeared in court today before Magistrate Judge Ryon M. McCabe.
The alarming sequence of events unfolded when a Secret Service agent patrolling the golf course perimeter spotted what appeared to be a rifle emerging from the tree line. The agent discharged their weapon, prompting Routh to flee. Witnesses reported seeing the suspect escape into nearby woods.
Officers from Martin and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s offices coordinated the successful capture of Routh shortly after the incident. Authorities later discovered a backpack, a loaded SKS-style rifle, and a digital camera near the scene, with the rifle’s serial number deliberately removed.
Routh’s criminal record reveals previous felony convictions in North Carolina, adding to the gravity of the charges. The federal investigation into the case is ongoing, with a detention hearing scheduled for September 23.
This marks the second apparent assassination attempt on former President Trump in the past two months, further raising concerns about security during his ongoing presidential campaign.
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