Secret Service fires at man with gun near Trump on golf course; FBI investigating incident as apparent assassination attempt
Former President Donald Trump is "safe and unharmed" after Secret Service agents engaged with a suspect pointing a high-powered rifle at the Florida golf course where Trump was golfing Sunday afternoon, officials say. They said the suspect fled but was later taken into custody.
The FBI and U.S. Secret Service are investigating the incident, which the FBI said "appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump."
"President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity," Steven Cheung, Trump campaign communications director, said in a brief initial statement.
Law enforcement officials confirmed that members of Trump's U.S. Secret Service detail opened fire at the armed suspect after spotting him on the edge of the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, a few holes ahead from where the president was golfing. Secret Service officials said it was not clear if the suspect fired any shots.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said in a briefing that Trump was about 300-500 yards away from the man with the gun.
"Secret Service did exactly what they should have done, and their agent did a fantastic job," Bradshaw said.
Multiple officials tell CBS News the suspect's name is Ryan Wesley Routh; he is in his late 50s and has had previous encounters with law enforcement, according to court documents.
Officials said no motive has been determined at this time.
Officials say rifle, scope, GoPro camera recovered
Sheriff Bradshaw said they received a call from U.S. Secret Service at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday that shots had been fired. Units immediately moved to seal off the area, and a witness told authorities that they had seen a man jumping out of the bushes and fleeing in a black Nissan. They took a photo of the license plate number, and the car was spotted traveling north on I-95 toward Martin County, about 50 miles away, where the driver was pulled over and detained. Bradshaw said the witness then identified the individual as the man they had seen in the bushes.
Law enforcement found an AK47-style rifle with a scope, two backpacks with ceramic tile and a GoPro camera in the bushes at the scene, Bradshaw said. Photos of the weapon and the backpack were displayed at the briefing.
Rafael Barros, Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Service's Miami Field Office, said in the briefing that the agency is "not sure yet if (the) individual was able to take a shot at our agents."
The FBI is heading the investigation at this time, saying in a statement: "The FBI has responded to West Palm Beach Florida and is investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump."
In an earlier statement, the Secret Service also said it was investigating the incident, along with local authorities. "The Secret Service, in conjunction with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, is investigating a protective incident involving former President Donald Trump that occurred shortly before 2 p.m. The former president is safe," Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said.
Suspect criticized Trump on social media
CBS News has identified several social media profiles that appear to be connected to the suspect. He made no threats in his posts, but did post frequently about politics.
His X account, which has now been suspended, included a number of posts about Trump. "@realDonaldTrump While you were my choice in 2106, I and the world hoped that president Trump would be different and better than the candidate, but we all were greatly disappointment and it seems you are getting worse and devolving," he wrote in one post. "I will be glad when you gone."
He also referenced the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump in multiple posts, suggesting that President Biden and Vice President Harris should visit the injured and attend the funeral of the Pennsylvania rally-goer who was killed.
A Facebook account under the suspect's name was no longer online on Sunday evening.
He also posted multiple times about the ongoing war in Ukraine, in one post writing, "I am willing to go and fight and DIE to beat Putin." He was interviewed by Newsweek Romania in 2022, voicing support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion. In one post on LinkedIn, he shared a photo of himself in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital.
The LinkedIn account indicates that Routh lived in Hawaii and owned Camp Box Honolulu, a shed-building company. The account also says that he studied at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and graduated in 1998.
Trump, White House and other leaders respond
Trump is in good spirits, Sunday evening and has recounted what happened to multiple friends, family members, and advisers, according to several people who have spoken with him. He praised the Secret Service and thanked them for their response. He has also been joking that he wishes he could have finished his round of golf. He has told others he is determined to keep on campaigning this week, although it's not yet clear what his plans are for Monday.
Trump shared a message about the incident in a fundraising email and said he is safe.
"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," Trump said.
Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance, said on social media that he spoke to the former president before the news of the incident was made public. He said Trump "was, amazingly, in good spirits" during their conversation.
"Still much we don't know, but I'll be hugging my kids extra tight tonight and saying a prayer of gratitude," Vance wrote on X.
I'm glad President Trump is safe. I spoke to him before the news was public and he was, amazingly, in good spirits.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 15, 2024
Still much we don't know, but I'll be hugging my kids extra tight tonight and saying a prayer of gratitude.
President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed on the incident on Sunday afternoon, the White House said.
"The President and Vice President have been briefed about the security incident at the Trump International Golf Course, where former President Trump was golfing. They are relieved to know that he is safe," the White House statement said. "They will be kept regularly updated by their team."
In a separate post on X, Harris said, "I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America."
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and close ally of the former president, said in a post on X that he had spoken with Trump, who he said "in good spirits and he is more resolved than ever to save our country."
"He is one of the strongest people I've ever known," Graham added.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said on social media that he and his wife just spent a few hours with Trump at Mar-a-Lago "and are thanking God for protecting him today."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell wrote, "Very grateful President Trump is safe after another attempted assassination attempt. There is no place for political violence in our country, and those responsible for it must be held to account. I hope and expect USSS and the FBI will conduct a thorough, swift, and transparent investigation."
The incident comes two months after an assassination attempt against the former president during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump was grazed in the ear; one attendee at the July 13 rally was killed and two others were wounded.
This is a developing story and will be updated.