How Donald Trump’s casual Sunday golf session was minutes away from becoming a historic disaster: Map shows how close ‘assassin’ Ryan Wesley Routh was to former president before he fled secret service agents
Sunday was to be a day of rest for Donald Trump.
The former president had just returned to Mar-a-Lago after a breathless couple of weeks that included a bruising presidential debate against Democrat opponent Kamala Harris and a taxing tour of the West Coast to drum up support ahead of November’s election.
On Monday he was set to get right back to work, announcing on social media that he would be delivering remarks at the launch event for a new crypto platform before jumping back on the campaign trail.
But with a precious slice of spare time yesterday, the 78-year-old decided to indulge in round of a golf at his own personal course, Trump International in West Palm Beach.
His day off was ruined after just five holes when a member of his Secret Service detail spotted the muzzle of a rifle sticking out of a fence in bushes just a few hundred yards away and opened fire.
The would-be shooter, identified as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, fled the scene under fire before he could even get a shot off.
But for the second time in just over two months, someone had come dangerously close to killing the 45th president of the United States.
Now, with the debate raging over the level of protection Trump is given just weeks away from what is set to be a hotly contested election, here’s how yesterday’s chaos unfolded.
For the second time in just over two months, someone had come dangerously close to killing the 45th president of the United States
Trump narrowly avoided a second assassination attempt on Sunday
The alleged gunman has been identified as registered Democrat Ryan Wesley Routh, 58
Sunday, September 15, 1.30pm
Around 1.30pm Sunday the West Palm Beach Police Department was notified of shots fired by the Secret Service after spotting the shooter in the bushes at Trump International Golf Club in Mar-a-Lago, West Palm Beach Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said.
At the time, the would-be shooter was about 300-500 yards from the Republican presidential candidate who was playing golf between holes five and six.
The agent who spotted the rifle, Bradshaw said, is part of a team that stays a hole or two ahead of Trump on the course.
A Secret Service agent spotted a rifle barrel with a scope sticking out through a fence on the golf course and ‘immediately engaged’ with the shooter, according to Bradshaw.
The former president was rushed to safety while the suspect fled the scene.
At the time, the shooter was about 300-500 yards from the Republican presidential candidate who was playing golf between holes five and six
Law enforcement personnel investigate the area around Trump International Golf Club
Palm Beach Sheriff officers guard the rear entrance of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA on 15 September 2024
1:40pm-2.00pm
The 45th President’s campaign communications director Steven Cheug said: ‘President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity. No further details at this time.’
Trump soon issued a defiant statement promising to ‘never surrender.’
‘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,’ he wrote in an alert sent out by his team.
‘Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER!’ the candidate continued, months after surviving a separate attempt on his life that saw him shot in the ear in Butler, Pennsylvania.
‘I will always love you for supporting me. Unity. Peace. Make America Great Again.
‘May God bless you,’ he wrote.
The suspect meanwhile is apprehended on the I-95.
He is told to step out of the car and is held at gunpoint on the side of the road. He is later identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, a resident of Hawaii and a registered Democrat.
Routh lived in North Carolina for most of his life before moving to Kaaawa in 2018, according to the Associated Press.
The agent who spotted the rifle, Palm Beach County Sherriff Ric Bradshaw said, is part of a team that stays a hole or two ahead of Trump on the course
3.49pm
Vice President Kamal Harris broke her silence on the alleged assassination attempt and said she was relieved no-one was hurt.
‘I have been briefed on reports of gunshots fired near former President Trump and his property in Florida, and I am glad he is safe,’ she wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
‘Violence has no place in America.’
The White House also issued a statement and said that both President Joe Biden and Harris were informed bout the security incident.
‘The President and Vice President have been briefed about the security incident at the Trump International Golf Course, where former President Trump was golfing,’ according to the White House.
‘They are relieved to know that he is safe. They will be kept regularly updated by their team.’
Routh showed little emotion and remained calm when he was taken into custody. (pictured: The suspect on his knees after cops located him)
This photo provided by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office shows Sheriff’s vehicles surrounding an SUV on the northbound I-95 in Martin County on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024
4.29pm- 4.32pm
Routh showed little emotion and remained calm when he was taken into custody.
Martin County Sheriff William Synder said: ‘He never asked, ”what is this about?” Obviously, law enforcement with long rifles, blue lights, a lot going on. He never questioned it.’
Daniel Rodriguez, who was driving back from Orlando with his family from a soccer match on I-95 told CNN he witnessed the ‘wild scene’ when sheriff’s deputies pulled Routh over.
‘We saw multiple officers starting to speed up behind us,’ Rodriguez said.
‘We saw a black Nissan speed up and merge in and out of traffic. We saw a helicopter flying in the air and many more police starting to appear. Then, a state trooper pulled over and stopped the traffic lane.’
4.42pm
The FBI announced that agents were investigating ‘what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump.’
Would be shooter Routh fled the scene in a car but later pulled over and surrendered to law enforcement
4.43pm
Trump arrived back to his home in Mar-a-Lago, according to a source familiar with the incident.
5.17pm-5.18pm
Bradshaw said that Trump’s golf course is surrounded by shrubbery, making it hard to see people hidden within.
He added that the gunman had an AK-style rifle with a scope, a GoPro camera and two backpacks hanging from a fence.
The backpacks had ceramic tile inside and the suspect’s belongings are being processed, Bradshaw added.
The Secret Service agent who saw Routh fired four to six rounds before he fled the scene.
Images of Routh’s vehicle were given to law enforcement by a witness.
The gunman had an AK-style rifle with a scope, a GoPro camera and two backpacks hanging from a fence. The backpacks has ceramic tile inside and the suspect’s belongings are being processed
5.24pm
Dave Aronberg, a state attorney for Palm Beach County, said prosecutors were working on a warrant and pretrial detention applications.
‘Our filing of the warrant and charges at the state level does not preclude the federal charges that could be coming.
‘But in the meantime, it looks like the warrants and a pretrial detention motion will happen first,’ Aronberg said.
5.30pm
Trump’s running mate JD Vance said the former president was in ‘good spirits’ following the incident.
‘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,’ Vance wrote.
Routh was interviewed in April 2022 in Kyiv, where he was taking part in a demonstration in support of Ukrainians trapped in the port city of Mariupol
Secret Service and Homeland Security agents check a former home of Routh
5.40pm
Bradshaw announced that law enforcement would have lined the golf course during the suspect attempt if Trump was the sitting president.
Because he is not, ‘security is limited to the areas that the areas that the Secret Service deems possible.’
‘I would imagine that the next time he comes to the golf course, there will probably be a little more people around the perimeter.
‘But the Secret Service did exactly what they should have done, they provided exactly what the protection should have been and their agent did a fantastic job,’ Bradshaw said.
6.03pm
Routh is identified as the man who allegedly tried to take Trump’s life, law enforcement officials announced.
6.18pm
Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz said on X that he is glad Trump is ‘safe.’
‘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.’
The house of Ryan Wesley Routh, the man arrested in connection with the apparent assesination attempt against former US President Trump in his golf course is seen on September 15, 2024 in Kaaawa, a small town located on the windward side of the island of Oahu, Hawaii
The truck parked at Routh’s home had a ‘Biden/Harris’ bumper sticker on it
6.33pm
Congresswoman Elise Stefink also issued a statement following the attack.
‘I am grateful to hear that President Trump is safe following today’s reported assassination attempt in Florida.
‘I join in thanks for our hardworking law enforcement officers working to keep President Trump, his family, and his team safe,’ Stefink wrote.
She then questioned ‘how an assassin was allowed to get this close to President Trump again.’
Stefink also referred to the July assassination attempt and said: ‘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.’
‘As Americans we must unite behind him in November to protect our republic and bring peace back to the world.’
7.24pm
Trump campaign leaders credited the Secret Service for swiftly protecting Trump Sunday.
Senior campaign advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles wrote in an email to staff: ‘Today, for the second time in two months, an evil monster attempted to take the life of President Trump.
‘Thankfully, no one was injured at the Golf Course. President Trump and everyone accompanying him are safe thanks to the great work of the United States Secret Service,’ they said.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the state ‘will be conducting its own investigation’ into the assassination attempt (pictured: Law enforcement officers work to investigate after shots were fired)
The scene outside the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach is closed by the police after a man pointed a gun toward the course
8.31pm
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the state ‘will be conducting its own investigation’ into the assassination attempt.
‘The State of Florida will be conducting its own investigation regarding the attempted assassination at Trump International Golf Club.
‘The people deserve the truth about the would be assassin and how he was able to get within 500 yards of the former president and current GOP nominee,’ DeSantis said on X.
8.50pm
President Joe Biden said he was briefed on the shooting and ‘there is no place for violence’ in the US.
‘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 vigilance and their efforts to keep the former President and those around him safe.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Trump is ‘unstoppable’ after spending time with him after the incident
Donald Trump is seen raising his fist in the air as blood streams down his face after being shot in the ear on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania
‘I am relieved that the former President is unharmed. There is an active investigation into this incident as law enforcement gathers more details about what happened.
‘As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country, and I have directed my team to continue to ensure that the Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former President’s continued safety,’ Biden said.
9.04pm
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Trump is ‘unstoppable’ after spending time with him after the incident.
Though he was not on the course with the former president during the time, Johnson had a meeting scheduled with him at Mar-a-Lago afterwards.
‘Kelly and I are departing Mar-a-Lago, where we just spent a few hours with President Trump and are thanking God for protecting him today—once again.
‘No leader in American history has endured more attacks and remained so strong and resilient. He is unstoppable,’ Johnson wrote.
Trump’s take on surviving a second assassination attempt as he praises Secret Service and cops for saving his life at Florida golf course
11:36pm
Late Sunday, Trump posted a message on social media thanking the Secret Service and law enforcement for keeping him safe, calling them ‘brave and dedicated Patriots,’ adding that it was ‘certainly an interesting day!’
He was to be briefed in person Monday by acting Secret Service director Ronald Rowe about the investigation into the assassination attempt, according to a person familiar with the plan for the briefing who was not authorised to speak publicly.
