US presidential candidate Donald Trump was rushed to safety on Sunday, September 15, following what the FBI described as an “apparent attempted assassination.”
The incident occurred at Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club, prompting a heavy police presence. Secret Service agents opened fire when they spotted a gunman, who fled the scene.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, in a press conference, provided further details: “Fortunately, we had a witness who saw the suspect running out of the bushes. He jumped into a black Nissan, and the witness took a photo of the vehicle and its license plate. We contacted the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, who located and detained the suspect.”
The gunman was reportedly about 360 meters away from Trump at the time of the incident. The former president, who survived another assassination attempt in August, was taking a break from his campaign at the Florida golf course.
Media outlets have identified the suspect as 58-year-old Routh Ryan.
Authorities found an AK-47 rifle, two backpacks, a scope, and a camera near the spot where the gunman aimed at Trump. The FBI is leading the investigation and working to determine a motive.
Ryan, who previously supported Trump’s 2020 reelection, has recently shifted his public support toward President Biden and Vice President Harris. He has also been an active pro-Ukraine advocate and reportedly spent several months in Ukraine, recruiting foreigners to join the conflict, as detailed in a 2023 interview with The New York Times.
Trump’s running mate, U.S. Senator JD Vance, took to social media platform X, stating that he spoke to Trump shortly after the incident and that the former president was “amazingly, in good spirits.” Vance acknowledged that many details about the incident remain unclear.