'We live in danger times,' Secret Service on attempt on Trump
3 Min Read
Law enforcement said that if Trump were the current president then the entire golf course area would have been surrounded by Secret Service agents.
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Donald Trump speaks at a news conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, on September 13, 2024. (AFP)
"We live in danger times," a US Secret Service spokesperson said in a news conference after an apparent "attempted assassination" on former president Donald Trump on Sunday.
Ric Bradshaw, Palm Beach county sheriff, stated at the conference that since Trump is not the sitting president, the federal agency was "limited" to "the areas that the Secret Service deems possible."
"The golf course is surrounded by shrubbery, so when somebody gets into the shrubbery, they're pretty much out of sight," Bradshaw said, emphasizing that if Trump was the current president then the entire golf course area would have been surrounded by Secret Service agents.
"Secret Service did exactly what they should have done," he added.
Rafael Barros, Secret Service special agent in charge of the Miami field office, announced that the Secret Service opened fire on the gunman and had a "potential suspect" in custody.
Both The New York Times and Fox News identified the suspect as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh from Hawaii, though Reuters was unable to verify these claims independently.
Authorities reported that Secret Service agents detected the gunman hiding in bushes near the edge of the property, armed with an AK-47-style assault rifle.
"The threat level is high," Barros said during the news conference.
Suspect identified in attempted assassination, says Fox, NYT
Secret Service agents who were sweeping the course for potential threats ahead of Trump’s game spotted the gunman’s rifle from a distance of 400 to 500 yards (about 365 to 457 meters) and opened fire, according to Sheriff Bradshaw. The incident occurred around 1:30 pm local time (1730 GMT).
After exchanging fire with the Secret Service, the gunman dropped his weapon, two backpacks, and other belongings before fleeing in a black Nissan. A witness managed to capture photographs of the suspect’s car and license plate, aiding the investigation. Sheriff Bradshaw praised the agents' swift response, saying they had taken the correct actions.
Following the suspect’s escape, authorities issued a statewide alert, eventually leading Martin County deputies to apprehend the suspect on I-95. While the suspect’s identity and motive remained undisclosed then, Bradshaw confirmed that an arrest had been made.
Trump 'safe' after shooting at Florida golf club, suspect detained
Trump's campaign reported that there had been "gunshots in his vicinity" but added that the presidential candidate was safe.
"President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity. No further details at this time," said a statement from his campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung.
"Sources said that Trump was never in danger," The New York Post mentioned.
Later, in an email to his supporters, the former president wrote, "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!. Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER!"
