Shots Fired Near Former President Trump As He Leaves Florida Golf Course
19:03 GMT 15.09.2024 (Updated: 05:01 GMT 16.09.2024)
© AP Photo / Stephanie Matat
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An exchange of gunfire has occurred near US presidential candidate and ex-POTUS Donald Trump as he was leaving his golf course in Florida, local media has reported.
According to the New York Post, the two shooters were firing at each other outside the Trump International Golf Course West Palm Beach and did not target Trump.
“President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity. No further details at this time,” a spokesman for Trump said as quoted by the newspaper.
Two months earlier Donald Trump had a brush with death when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at him as the candidate was delivering a speech at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
One member of the audience, Corey Comperatore, was killed and two others sustained injuries before security shot Crooks dead. One of the bullets fired by Crooks grazed Trump’s ear, passing mere millimeters from the former president’s skull.
UPDATE – 3:20 PM EDT
The New York Post reports that the two gunmen were firing at each other and that former President Trump was not involved in the incident.
An AK-47 has reportedly been found near the scene of the shooting, according to a source in Florida law enforcement. US President Joe Biden has been informed about the incident and will continue to monitor the situation per a statement released by the White House.
UPDATE – 3:36 PM EDT
Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has suggested the incident may represent a second assassination attempt against former President Trump.
"President Trump is safe and sound after ANOTHER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT!!!" the congresswoman wrote on the X social media platform. "Thank God!!! They are trying to kill him!!! They will do anything to stop him from winning."
"Now reports are that two people were shooting at each other," Greene added moments later. "What is going on?"
The former president's son Donald Trump Jr. responded similarly in a separate post, writing "Again folks!"
"A suspect has reportedly been apprehended," he added.
As of yet there is no information confirming that the former president was the target of the incident.
Now reports are that two people were shooting at each other.
— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) September 15, 2024
What is going on?
UPDATE – 3:54 PM EDT
The New York Post reports that the US Secret Service (USSS) opened fire on a man who may have been carrying a gun before the former president was escorted to safety.
Sources claim the agents responded after seeing a suspicious person on or near the grounds of the Trump International Golf Course. One of the Secret Service agents reportedly opened fire, shooting multiple times.
Some time later the man was detained by local police on Interstate 95.
UPDATE – 4:22 PM EDT
"In the area of the shooting, sources say they recovered a backpack and a semi-automatic rifle... and a GoPro camera," reports CNN's Brian Stelter on X. "The camera suggests 'that this individual may have wanted to record himself in the first person.'"
"The reason why there were shots fired from the Secret Service side is they believe this person was poised to fire shots, perhaps in the direction of the former president," he continued, citing another CNN correspondent. "They were trying to prevent this from happening."
Stelter claimed the suspect arrested by police after the incident has been identified and is being investigated.
UPDATE – 4:45 PM EDT
US authorities are treating the shooting incident near the golf club of former President and Republican presidential contender Donald Trump as an assassination attempt CNN reports, citing sources briefed on the matter.
The incident occurred at about 2 pm Eastern Daylight Time (18:00 GMT) at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, according to the Secret Service. Officials believe an armed individual, who has now been detained, intended to target Trump, the cable news channel reported.
The Secret Service said it is investigating the incident.
"The Secret Service, in conjunction with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, is investigating a protective incident involving former President Donald Trump that occurred shortly before 2 p.m. The former president is safe," USSS Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi said on X.
Guglielmi added that the Secret Service would be holding a media briefing soon with more details. Vice President Kamala Harris has reportedly been briefed on the situation, according to a statement released by the White House.
UPDATE – 4:55 PM EDT
Trump confirms that there were gunshots fired near him but he was unharmed.
"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! Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER," Trump said in an email to his supporters.
UPDATE – 5:30 PM EDT
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has joined the investigation into Sunday's incident, Fox News reports. The agency is investigating what appears to be an assassination attempt on former President Trump the channel reported, citing the US federal agency.
Local police confirm that a suspect has been arrested and an AK-47 was found near the scene of the incident, while the Secret Service has confirmed that its agents opened fire on a suspicious individual.
Local police claim the man was shot approximately 270-450 meters away from former President Trump.
UPDATE – 6:07 PM EDT
Palm Beach County Police Sheriff Ric Bradshaw confirms the detention of a man after the shooting at former US President Donald Trump’s golf club in Florida, also confirming that an AK-47 with a telescopic sight was found near the scene of the incident.
"Fortunately we were able to locate a witness who came to us and said, ‘Hey, I saw a guy running out of the bushes. He jumped into a black Nissan, and I took a picture of the vehicle,’" Bradshaw said during a press conference.
Based on the witness’s information, law enforcement officers identified the car and the direction it was traveling and then with the help of their colleagues stopped it, the sheriff added. As the car was driving toward Martin County the Palm Beach police contacted the Martin County Sheriff’s Office and alerted them, he said.
"They spotted the vehicle, pulled it over, and arrested the guy. After that we took the witness of the incident, took him up there, and he identified the person who ran out of the bushes and jumped into the car," Bradshaw said.
The sheriff confirmed that an AK-47 assault rifle with a scope, two backpacks and a GoPro action camera were found in the bushes where the man was hiding.
UPDATE – 7:33 PM EDT
Authorities have released the name of the suspect arrested in connection with the apparent attempt on the life of former President Donald Trump.
Three senior law enforcement officials named Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, as the man apprehended by police Sunday, according to NBC News.
Routh is the man it is claimed was shot at by Secret Service agents near where the former president was playing golf at Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
UPDATE – 7:43 PM EDT
US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said Sunday that the man who allegedly attempted to assassinate former US President Donald Trump at his golf club in Florida was obsessed with the conflict in Ukraine.
"The man that tried to assassinate [Trump] today is named Ryan Wesley Routh… he’s obsessed with the Ukraine war, which is funded by the US," Greene wrote on X.
Greene shared images of social media posts that appear to originate from Routh, including a post from May in which it appears he was attempting to recruit people to fight for Kiev.
An account on X that appears to belong to Routh posted multiple statements in favor of US support for Ukraine since February 2022. The account also posted contact information, including an email address.
"These are NOT lone wolves," Greene insisted. "There is a conspiracy to murder Donald Trump."
UPDATE – 9:00 PM EDT
US President Joe Biden said he is glad that former President Donald Trump is safe after an apparent assassination attempt Sunday.
"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," Biden said in a statement.
There is no place for political or any other violence in the United States, he stressed.
"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.
The president confirmed the suspect was in custody, adding that the Secret Service and their law enforcement partners had done a good job in ensuring Trump's safety.
UPDATE – 10:55 PM EDT
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Sunday that the State of Florida would conduct its own investigation into a suspected assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump.
"The State of Florida will be conducting its own investigation regarding the attempted assassination at Trump International Golf Club," DeSantis said on the X social media platform. "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."
