THE alleged gunman behind Donald Trump’s second assassination attempt was calm and emotionless at the time of his arrest.
Registered Democrat Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, is currently being held in custody after he was arrested in Florida.
Registered Democrat Routh appeared to have travelled to Ukraine after the Russian invasion
Registered Democrat Routh appeared to have travelled to Ukraine after the Russian invasion
The 58-year-old was arrested after a suspected assassination attempt on Trump
The 58-year-old was arrested after a suspected assassination attempt on Trump
Routh was previously a Trump supporter
Routh was previously a Trump supporter
An AK-47-style rifle, two backpacks and a GoPro camera were found in the bush
An AK-47-style rifle, two backpacks and a GoPro camera were found in the bush
Routh urged others to join him in Ukraine
Routh urged others to join him in Ukraine
Law enforcement personnel investigate the area around Trump International Golf Club
Law enforcement personnel investigate the area around Trump International Golf Club
He was caught when Secret Service agents spotted someone they suspected of aiming a weapon from the bushes at the West Palm Beach golf club, where Trump was playing.
An AK-47-style rifle, two backpacks and a GoPro camera were recovered from a bush where he was seen.
The FBI confirmed they saved the Republican presidential candidate from an “assassination attempt” as they launched an investigation into the incident.
Martin County Sherriff William D. Snyder said Routh “was not displaying a lot of emotions” at the time of his arrest.
He added that the gunman was “relatively calm” and “never asked” why he was being detained.
He said: “He never asked, What is this about? Obviously, law enforcement with long rifles, blue lights a lot going on. He never questioned it.
A closer look into his past revealed that the 58-year-old has had run-ins with the law several times.
He is said to have previously been arrested eight times and charged with more than 100 offences.
Court records show he was convicted of possession of a fully automatic machine gun in 2002 in North Carolina.
It came after he barricaded himself in a building with a fully automatic machine gun during a three-hour standoff.
‘Assassin’ hid in bushes to shoot Donald Trump with AR-47 but fled when secret service opened fire
Routh posted on his X account that he had voted for Donald Trump in 2016 but gradually changed sides.
He wrote in a 2020 post: “While you were my choice in 2106, I and the world hoped that president Trump would be different and better than the candidate, but we all were greatly disappointment (sic) and it seems you are getting worse and devolving.
“I will be glad when you gone.”
Records show that he voted in the Democratic Party’s North Carolina primary earlier this year.
Meanwhile, it appears that the alleged would-be assassin travelled to Ukraine after Russia’s invasion and wanted to recruit Afghan soldiers to fight there.
Footage from 2022, appears to show Routh in Kyiv urging others to join him.
“Every civilian of every country needs to come here,” he can be heard saying.
“We need to show Putin that generosity is what runs this world, not cruelty and terrorism.
“We cannot let interest in this war drop off to nothing.”
While in a tweet he said: “I am here in Kyiv and want to use Independence Park to create a tent city of all the foreigners here in support to get thousands more foreign civilians to come and support Ukraine.
Routh’s son Oran Routh, 35, said he had no idea of the alleged assassination attempt when he was contacted shortly after his father’s arrest.
He told the Daily Mail: “This was the first I heard about it. Was my father shot or injured?”
The 35-year-old said his dad hates Trump as “every reasonable person does” adding: “I don’t like Trump either.”
But he was struggling to believe his dad could be behind the assassination attempt and insisted his dad is not a violent person.
He said: “He’s my dad and all he’s had is couple traffic tickets, as far as I know.
“That’s crazy. I know my dad and love my dad, but that’s nothing like him.”
Routh was said to be hiding in the bushes around 400-500 yards from Trump when Secret Service agents spotted an AK-47.
The suspect attempted to flee the scene in an SUV in a black Nissan but a member of the public took a picture of the car’s number plate.
Cops from Martin County were able to pull him over and arrest him shortly afterwards.
Trump who was shot in the ear by a gunman in Pennsylvania on July 13, was rushed to safety and vowed “I will never surrender”.
He said before returning to the course: “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE.
“Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER! I will always love you for supporting me. Unity. Peace. Make America Great Again. May God bless you.”
In a statement, The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been briefed on the security incident involving Trump and they are both “relieved to know that he is safe.”
“They will be kept regularly updated by their team,” The White House added.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr wrote on X: “Again folks! SHOTS FIRED at Trump Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
“An AK-47 was discovered in the bushes, per local law enforcement. The Trump campaign has released a statement confirming former President Trump is safe.
“A suspect has reportedly been apprehended.”
The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris were being kept informed on the 2pm incident on Sunday.
Biden said he was “relieved” Trump was “unharmed”.
He said: “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.
“As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country.”
Biden added he had directed his team to make sure the Secret Service has “every resource, capability and protective measure necessary” to keep Trump safe.
Harris, who met Trump for the first time in person at a debate last Tuesday, said: “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.
“Violence has no place in America.”
While Sir Keir Starmer said he was “very worried” about what he said looked like an assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
The Prime Minister told broadcasters in Rome: “I was very worried by the news about this attempt. Looks like an assassination attempt, very worried about it.”
He added: “Obviously, there’s now an investigation going on so I won’t say much more about the details, but I think it is really important that we’re all very, very clear that violence has no part to play at all in any political process.
“So, deeply troubled. Let the investigation take its place. But absolute clarity: violence, no place in political discussion at all, anywhere.”
It comes just nine weeks after Thomas Matthew Crooks shot Trump at a rally on July 13.
Trump was left bloodied after a bullet pierced his ear at the open-air event in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was shot dead by Secret Service snipers shortly after opening fire.
The suspect tried to flee the scene in a black Nissan
The suspect tried to flee the scene in a black Nissan
Former President Trump said he was safe after the incident
Former President Trump said he was safe after the incident.
