Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was arrested and charged with federal firearms offenses after an alleged attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
According to the FBI’s criminal complaint, Routh, a convicted felon, was discovered near the club’s fence line nearly 12 hours before a Secret Service agent opened fire on him after spotting a rifle.
Geolocation data from Routh’s cellphone showed his presence outside the club at 1:59 a.m. on September 15, 2024. The complaint detailed that Routh remained at the scene until 1:31 p.m., when the Secret Service fired after noticing a rifle barrel through a fence. Routh fled, abandoning his rifle, a GoPro camera, and other equipment, including anti-ballistic plates and food supplies.
Authorities swiftly located Routh’s vehicle, which had stolen plates, traveling north on I-95. He was apprehended and charged with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and owning a weapon with an obliterated serial number.
If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. The FBI is investigating this incident as the second assassination attempt on Trump since July 2024.
