Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspect in Sunday’s apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, has been formally charged with two counts: possession of a firearm while a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Routh appeared in federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday morning for his initial court appearance and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for next Monday. Law enforcement officials have indicated that Routh may face additional charges.
CNN reports that Routh, a self-employed affordable housing builder from Hawaii, allegedly planned to attack Trump while he was playing golf at his Florida club. According to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, a Secret Service agent noticed a rifle barrel with a scope sticking out from a fence as Trump moved between holes on the course. The agent immediately engaged with the suspect, who fled the scene in a car. A witness spotted the vehicle, which was later stopped by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, leading to Routh’s arrest.
At the scene, Secret Service agents recovered a loaded SKS-style 7.62×39 caliber rifle with a scope, a digital camera, and two bags, including a backpack.
In a statement on Monday, Attorney General Merrick Garland stressed that the FBI and the Justice Department are coordinating closely with local law enforcement to ensure accountability. “The FBI is continuing to investigate what appears to be an assassination attempt of former President Trump,” Garland said. “We are grateful that the former President is safe.”
This incident marks the second apparent assassination attempt on Trump in the last two months. A bipartisan congressional task force is also investigating a previous attempt in July in Butler, Pennsylvania. The task force recently obtained documents from the Pennsylvania State Police, including body-camera footage and internal communications, as part of its efforts to uncover any security failures. The group is expected to issue a final report and recommendations by mid-December.
As the investigation unfolds for Sunday’s incident, authorities are looking into Routh’s background and potential connections to international networks. Some of his suspected online activities involve platforms headquartered outside the United States, which may require collaboration with international partners.
Court records reveal that Routh has a lengthy criminal history in North Carolina. In 2002, he was charged with felony possession of a weapon of mass destruction, resisting an officer, carrying a concealed weapon, and ID card fraud. He pleaded guilty to some of these charges. Over the years, he has faced various other charges, including possession of a controlled substance, possession of stolen goods, and multiple counts related to worthless checks. Routh has also been accused of failing to pay taxes on time, resulting in a federal tax lien of about $32,000 in 2008.
Trump, who was unharmed in the incident, addressed the situation in a fundraising email on Sunday, reassuring supporters of his safety. On Monday, he blamed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the incident, claiming that the suspect “believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it.” Despite the incident, Trump is expected to continue with his campaign schedule as planned.
