Suspect in Attempted Assassination of Former President Trump Allegedly Lied in Wait for 12 Hours
Authorities have revealed that Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspect in the recent attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, may have been lying in wait for nearly 12 hours along the tree line at Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. According to a criminal complaint filed on Monday, Routh has been charged with possession of a firearm while being a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and additional charges could be brought in the future. Routh appeared in federal court on Monday, where he was ordered to be detained while the investigation continues.
The incident occurred on Sunday around 1:30 p.m. ET when a Secret Service agent noticed the barrel of a rifle poking out from the fence between the 5th and 6th hole of Trump International Golf Club. Cell phone data suggests that Routh may have spent nearly 12 hours near the area where he was eventually spotted. Authorities found a sniper’s nest along the fence line, containing a scoped rifle, a GoPro camera, and backpacks with ceramic plates. Former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe noted that this setup indicates a high level of pre-planning.
Routh, who was driving his daughter’s car at the time of his detention, has been identified as a staunch supporter of Ukraine on social media. However, he had become disillusioned with former President Trump, frequently criticizing him. Routh even traveled to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion two years ago, expressing delusional ideas and attempting to recruit Afghan soldiers to fight for Ukraine. Authorities are currently going through Routh’s social media accounts and requesting phone records to gather more evidence.
As for the charges Routh may face, it may be difficult to charge him specifically with a crime against Trump due to the distance between Routh and the former president. However, charges related to pointing the rifle at the Secret Service agent who first spotted him are more likely. State Attorney David Aronberg explained that an insanity argument would be challenging to make since Routh fled the scene, indicating awareness of his actions’ wrongness.
In the wake of the incident, President Joe Biden has called for Congress to provide the US Secret Service with more help. Staffing issues have been a long-standing problem for the agency, with agents and officers feeling burned out due to overtime shifts and long assignments. Biden believes that additional personnel are needed to support the Secret Service’s operations.
This attempted assassination is the latest escalation in an already bitter political campaign, with Trump blaming Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the incident. However, both Biden and Harris have condemned political violence, emphasizing the need for unity and non-violence in the country. The incident serves as a reminder of the deep divisions and heightened tensions in American politics, as well as the ongoing security threats faced by public figures.
