Trump safe after suspect arrested in apparent assassination attempt; authorities say he had AR-style rifle, scope and GoPro

A man has been taken into custody after shots were fired Sunday afternoon in what the FBI is calling an apparent “assassination attempt” on Donald Trump at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida — two months after an assassination attempt on the former president at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

Trump, who was rushed to safety during the incident, said in a message posted on Truth Social Sunday night that “this was certainly an interesting day!” He also thanked the Secret Service and law enforcement, writing in all caps that “the job they did was absolutely outstanding.”

Nearly 10 hours earlier, shortly before 2 p.m., Trump was playing a round of golf near his Mar-a-Lago home when a Secret Service agent spotted a rifle with a scope in the bushes outside the course, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at a news conference.

The Secret Service opened fire on the man, who managed to flee in a black Nissan. Shots rang out, but it was unclear whether the individual “may have fired at our agents,” Rafael Barros, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Miami field office, said at the news conference.

A nearby witness took a photo of the car and reported it to authorities, Bradshaw said, which helped lead to the arrest. The man arrested was identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, according to three law enforcement officials. His identity was not released at Sunday’s news conference.

An AR-style rifle was found at the scene, law enforcement told NBC News. Near the fence, near the rifle, were two backpacks and a GoPro camera, Bradshaw said.

Routh has a lengthy criminal and civil history, including a 2022 conviction for possession of a machine gun. A person named Ryan Routh lived for decades in North Carolina, and a Ryan Routh most recently lived in Hawaii, according to land records. NBC News has not confirmed whether this is the same Routh who was taken into custody Sunday.

Routh had previously told other media outlets that he came to Ukraine to help with the war effort. He expressed frustration to Semafor last year about Ukraine’s caution about admitting foreign soldiers, and he told Newsweek Romania in June 2022 that he was working to recruit people for the war effort.

Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement that Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, was “safe” following the incident.

Trump left the golf course with his motorcade hours after the incident and returned to his Mar-a-Lago resort, a source familiar with the matter said. He arrived at Mar-a-Lago, another source said.

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A senior law enforcement official briefed on the incident told NBC News that Trump was on the golf course when what sounded like gunshots were heard nearby.

He was between the fifth and sixth holes of the golf course when the incident occurred, the source familiar with the matter said. Trump was playing golf with his friend and donor Steve Witkoff, the source said.

Palm Beach County District Attorney Dave Aronberg said in an interview with MSNBC that the federal government would take over the case and the Justice Department would file charges.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who ran against Trump in the Republican presidential primary before stepping down and endorsing him, said on X that the state would conduct its own investigation, adding that “people deserve the truth about the would-be assassin and how he got within 500 yards of the former president and current Republican nominee.”

Sunday’s incident will not impact Trump’s campaign schedule this week, a source said. Trump’s campaign had said he would hold a town hall meeting in Flint, Michigan, on Tuesday. He is also scheduled to speak at campaign events in New York on Wednesday, followed by a speech in Washington, DC on Thursday and a rally in North Carolina on Saturday.

The second assassination attempt on Trump comes amid heightened partisan rhetoric and fears of political violence, with just 51 days until Election Day in a presidential race where polls consistently show a close race between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Politicians on both sides condemned the political violence on Sunday and expressed gratitude for Trump’s safety.

Harris said in a statement that she was “deeply troubled by the possible assassination attempt on former President Trump today,” adding that she was “grateful” that Trump was safe.

“As we gather the facts, I will be clear: I condemn political violence,” she said. “We must all do our part to ensure that this incident does not lead to further violence.”

His running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, expressed a similar sentiment on X, saying that “violence has no place in our country.”

President Joe Biden said in a statement that he had been briefed on the situation and was “relieved that the former president is unharmed.”

“As I have said repeatedly, there is no place for political violence or any other violence in our country, and I have directed my team to continue to ensure that the Secret Service has all the resources, capabilities, and safeguards necessary to ensure the continued safety of the former president,” Biden said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said on X that he spent “a few hours” with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday and called him “unstoppable.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on X that “the author must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Trump’s campaign sent a fundraising email Sunday citing the incident. Trump signed the email, which said his “resolve is only stronger after yet another assassination attempt.”

Trump’s running mate, Republican Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, said on X that Trump was “in good spirits.”

“We don’t know much yet, but I will hug my children very tightly tonight and say a prayer of gratitude,” Vance said.

Nearly two months have passed since bullets whizzed past Trump’s head, one hitting him in the ear, at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, when one supporter was killed and two people were seriously wounded. The Secret Service shot and killed the shooter. In the chaos, Trump was surrounded by Secret Service agents, who escorted him off the stage as he pumped his fist and muttered “fight,” which became a rallying cry among his supporters.

Trump’s campaign and security team have made changes to campaign rallies following the Butler shooting. While Trump’s campaign had initially planned to stop holding outdoor rallies, the Secret Service ultimately approved the installation of bulletproof glass to protect him at outdoor campaign events.

Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe is heading to Florida, according to two Secret Service officials. Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after the previous assassination attempt on Trump.

Trump campaign co-managers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said in a memo to staffers Sunday that “for the second time in two months, an evil monster has attempted to take President Trump’s life.”

“President Trump and all those accompanying him are safe thanks to the tremendous work of the United States Secret Service,” they said in the memo, obtained by NBC News.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com