Trump assassination attempt : Who is suspect Ryan Routh?

EXPLAINER

The FBI says Donald Trump was the target of ‘what appears to be an attempted assassination’ at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation says it is investigating “what appears to be an attempted assassination” of former US President Donald Trump on Sunday after the Secret Service said it opened fire on a gunman at the Republican leader’s golf resort in Florida.

Here’s what we know about the shooting and the suspect.

What happened in Florida and when?

• Trump was at his West Palm Springs resort in Florida when the incident occurred at about 2pm local time (18:00 GMT).
• According to local media reports, Trump was moving between holes five and six at his golf course with his friend and Republican mega donor Steve Witkoff when gunshots were heard. The course was quickly locked down.
• Officials said a Secret Service agent spotted a gun barrel in some bushes near the edge of the course. Multiple officers fired at least four rounds at him, it was unclear if the suspect fired back at the agents.
• Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw reported that a witness captured a photo of the suspected gunman’s car and licence plate and gave it to authorities. The suspect, who had fled in a black Nissan, was subsequently apprehended.
• The FBI said it was addressing the episode as an apparent attempted assassination.
• A semiautomatic rifle was found near the property, along with two backpacks left on the fence. The backpacks contained ceramic tiles and, according to investigators, a GoPro camera. Investigators suspected the gunman was planning to capture his planned assassination attempt on camera.

Where did the shooting take place?

• The incident took place at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. It is located about 4 miles (6.5km) from Trump’s Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago.
• Bradshaw said Trump was approximately 400-500 yards (366-457 metres) away from Trump. According to him, that distance falls within the range of the weapon — coupled with the scope — that the suspect had. After that, Trump returned to Mar-a-Lago.

Who is Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspect?

• The suspect was identified by US media as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58.
• According to a report by The Associated Press news agency, he spent most of his life in North Carolina before moving to Kaaawa, Hawaii, in 2018. In Hawaii, he and his son ran a company specialising in building sheds, according to an archived version of the webpage for the business.
• In 2023, Routh was interviewed by The New York Times for an article about Americans volunteering to support the war effort in Ukraine.
• During the interview, he revealed that he travelled to Ukraine after Russia’s 2022 invasion to recruit soldiers for the war “from among Afghan soldiers who fled the Taliban”.
• He also mentioned visiting Washington, DC to meet politicians to bolster support for Ukraine.
• “We can probably purchase some passports through Pakistan since it’s such a corrupt country,” he told the NYT.

Secret Service and Homeland Security agents check a home, where Ryan Wesley Routh reportedly lived earlier [Jonathan Drake/Reuters]

• In a post on X in June 2020, Routh indicated he had voted for Trump in 2016, but had since become disillusioned with the billionaire politician. In many recent posts, he has expressed support for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
• But his political positions appear to have stayed complex. In July, following the assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania, the AP reported that Routh urged Biden and Harris, on X, to visit those wounded in the shooting at the hospital and attend the funeral of a firefighter killed at the rally. There is no evidence that either Biden or Harris was aware of Routh’s message to them.
• According to a CNN report, his son Oran Routh said he hopes everything has “just been blown out of proportion” and it is not like his father “to do anything crazy, much less violent”. He called his father “a loving and caring father, and honest hardworking man”.

An undated selfie shows Ryan Routh, a suspect identified by news organisations [Reuters]

Is Trump safe, what has he said?

• Trump said he is well and safe. “FEAR NOT! I am safe and well, and no one was hurt. Thank God!” Trump said in a statement on his fundraising website.
• “But, there are people in this world who will do whatever it takes to stop us. I will not stop fighting for you. I will Never Surrender.”
• “I will always love you for supporting me,” the statement added. “Through our UNITY we will Make America Great Again.”
• The Trump campaign has so far not indicated that there will be any changes to his schedule in light of today’s events. Trump is set to hold a town hall in Flint, Michigan, on Tuesday night.

Trump supporters gather around Mar-A-Lago after Trump returned from Trump International Golf Club [Reuters]

What happened in the first assassination attempt against Trump?

• Trump survived an assassination attempt on July 13 during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
• Gunshots rang out as he spoke on the stage. A bullet grazed his ear. Trump took cover, with Secret Service agents diving on top of him. He then stood up, bearing a bloody ear and pumping his fist. “Fight, fight, fight,” he said.
• It was later revealed that 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks had opened fire from a nearby rooftop, raising questions over how the Secret Service had secured the area. Crooks was fatally shot by a Secret Service agent at the scene.

Is this increasing the pressure on the Secret Service?

• The assassination attempt in July led to increased scrutiny of the Secret Service.
• It raised questions about how law enforcement agents allowed an armed attacker on a nearby rooftop from where the shot was fired. The fallout from the attack saw US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resign.
• Sunday’s incident is expected to lead to even more scrutiny of the agency’s functioning, said Colin Clarke, the director of research at the Soufan Group, a New York-based strategic security and intelligence consultancy.
• “I think every layer of what the Secret Service does is going to be scrutinised, and rightfully so,” Clarke told Al Jazeera. “We should demand that as American citizens, as taxpayers, that we hold these agencies and institutions to the high account.”

What have been the reactions to the alleged assassination bid in Florida?

• President Biden commended the work of the Secret Service. “I am relieved that the former President is unharmed,” he added.

I have been briefed by my team regarding what federal law enforcement is investigating as a possible assassination attempt of former President Trump today.

A suspect is in custody, and I commend the work of the Secret Service and their law enforcement partners for their…

— President Biden (@POTUS) September 16, 2024

• Vice President Harris said she was “disturbed” as she condemned “political violence”.

I am deeply disturbed by the possible assassination attempt of former President Trump today. As we gather the facts, I will be clear: I condemn political violence. We all must do our part to ensure that this incident does not lead to more to violence.

Read my statement: pic.twitter.com/JcuKJPHYdA

— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) September 16, 2024

• Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz said he was glad Trump was safe, adding that violence had no place in the US.

Gwen and I are glad to hear that Donald Trump is safe. Violence has no place in our country. It’s not who we are as a nation.

— Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) September 15, 2024

• Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance also expressed relief, adding that he would be “hugging my kids extra tight tonight and saying a prayer of gratitude”.

I'm glad President Trump is safe. I spoke to him before the news was public and he was, amazingly, in good spirits.

Still much we don't know, but I'll be hugging my kids extra tight tonight and saying a prayer of gratitude.

— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 15, 2024

• Mexico’s president-elect, Claudia Sheinbaum, and the outgoing president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, condemned Sunday’s incident. “We condemn the aggression against ex-President Trump. Peace must always guide the processes of democracy,” Sheinbaum, who will assume the Mexican presidency from Lopez Obrador on October 1, posted on X.

Condenamos la agresión contra el expresidente Trump. La paz debe guiar siempre los procesos democráticos.

— Dra. Claudia Sheinbaum (@Claudiashein) September 15, 2024

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was shocked after hearing about the assassination attempt.

Sara and I were shocked by the second assassination attempt against President Trump and were relieved to hear that it too failed. But we should not rely on luck.

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) September 15, 2024

• Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz questioned why Trump was targeted for the second time in a few months. “We need to know why this keeps happening,” Gaetz wrote on X.

The FBI confirmed this was a SECOND assassination attempt on President Trump’s life.

Experts warned this would happen again.

We need to know why this keeps happening! pic.twitter.com/BxGvHLOumo

— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) September 15, 2024

• Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik wondered how the alleged gunman was able to “get this close” to Trump. “There continues to be a lack of answers for the horrific assassination attempt in Pennsylvania and we expect there to be a clear explanation of what happened today in Florida,” she said in a statement.