Trump 'Safe And Well' After ANOTHER Assassination Attempt, Man With 'AK' Rifle Arrested - Caught Targeting President as he Played Golf

Joe Marino
New York Post
Sun, 15 Sep 2024 22:20 UTC

Mr Trump's motorcade heading to Mar-a-Lago after the incident

Former President Trump narrowly survived yet another assassination attempt after a sniper with a scoped AK-47 rifle got within a few hundred yards of him as he played golf at his West Palm Beach, Florida club on Friday.

It is the second time a madman armed with an assault rifle has tried to kill the 45th president in two months.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the suspect had taken cover near a chain-link fence between 300-500 yards away from Trump, but conceded, "with a rifle and scope like that is not a long distance."

Law enforcement sources told The Post that the suspect is 58-year-old Ryan Routh of Hawaii.

He had set up a GoPro camera on the fence with the apparent intent of recording the shooting.

A Secret Service agent first spotted the suspect as he stuck the barrel of his rifle through a chain link fence on the outskirts of Trump International Golf Course West Palm Beach South. The agent, who was a golf hole ahead of Trump, opened fire on the suspect — who then fled the scene, Bradshaw told reporters Sunday night.

Authorities have yet to determine if the shooter got off any shots at the Secret Service agents or at Trump.

The gunman's arrest was given a big boost by a bystander who spotted the suspect running out of the bushes and getting into a black Nissan, even photographing the man and reporting the sighting to law enforcement, who then blasted it out statewide leading to his arrest after a felony stop on I-95 a short time later.

Investigators found the suspect had left behind his "AK-style" rifle, as well as two backpacks, one of which contained ceramic tile, Bradshaw said.

Pictures of the gun and rucksacks were displayed at the news conference

He also attached a GoPro camera to the chain link fence he was perched behind, ostensibly to enable him to record what he was allegedly planning to do.

The former president was on the links at Trump International Golf Course West Palm Beach at the time, about 2 p.m. on Sunday. The gunman was spotted by an advance team several holes ahead of Trump, the sources told The Post.

Trump issued an "alert" statement to let supporters know he was safe shortly after an alarming security incident where a man was taken into custody with a high-powered rifle at one of the former president's golf resorts.

"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!" he wrote Sunday.

An agent opened fire, shooting multiple times.

"President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity. No further details at this time," Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said Sunday afternoon.

The man was later arrested by local police on I-95.

It comes almost exactly two months after Thomas Matthew Crooks shot Trump at a rally in Butler, Pa. on July 13 — wounding him in the ear.

Sen. Lindsey Graham took to X minutes after news of the shooting broke to laud the former president for his fortitude.

"Just spoke with President Trump. He is one of the strongest people I've ever known. He's in good spirits and he is more resolved than ever to save our country."

The West Palm Beach course is about five miles inland from Mar-a-Lago, which Trump dubbed the "Winter White House."

The Secret Service — which came under widespread criticism following the July assassination attempt — wrote on X that it was investigating a "protective incident" involving the former president that occurred shortly before 2 p.m.

The agency said it's coordinating with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office on the investigation.

Initial reports suggested two people were firing at each other. However, sources said investigators now believe the Secret Service agent was the only shooter.

The man's motives are not yet known. He was arrested by Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies.

The White House issued a statement soon after the incident: "The President and Vice President have been briefed about the security incident at the Trump International Golf Course, where former President Trump was golfing. They are relieved to know that he is safe. They will be kept regularly updated by their team."

CNN reported that the gunman fired at Trump, however sources told The Post that the only reported shooter so far is the Secret Service agent.

Comment: More on the alleged shooter, Routh, whose politics appear to be largely pro-Western establishment narratives - pro-war against Russia - and which are, notably, also similar to those of the would-be-assassin of Slovakia's PM Fico.

In fact, he was so pro-Ukraine War, he was a leading recruiter of mercenaries for the Ukraine War in the US and possibly in Afghanistan.

Furthermore, if the data below is accurate, then one would imagine he was already known, in some way, by the security services.

Ryan Wesley Routh, the Suspect identified in today's Assassination Attempt on Former U.S. President Donald J. Trump in West Palm Beach, is said to have been heavily Involved with the Ukrainian International Legion; which he had previously assisted in the Recruitment for in 2022, when he was Interviewed by Newsweek in Romania.

The Newsweek interview (10 minutes in length):

He clearly came well-prepared not only to assassinate Trump, but to record his 'heroic deed':

People are finding evidence that he was a Democrat Party donor, though elsewhere he says on his social media that he identifies as politically 'independent':

Routh's social media is being pulled down but as you can see the man had so much of a social media footprint, folks have been able to glean a lot:

His alleged X account shows that he was "willing to fly to Ukraine and fight!"

And apparently to Taiwan:

Routh's alleged criminal record:

He was allegedly very active in trying to recruit fighters for Ukraine - the NYT article is from 2023 and is titled: 'Stolen Valour: The U.S. Volunteers in Ukraine who lie, waste and bicker'

Max Blumenthal has found that Routh published a 291-page book, "Unwinnable War," about his time in Ukraine's International Legion:

Routh says he'd like to see Putin assassinated, seems to hope for Trump's assassination as well, and calls for the US to "instigate" a nuclear war with Russia Stating he's neither a Democrat or Republican, Routh's clearly articulated mindset toward Russia mirrors that of Beltway hardliners. He offers gushing admiration for Juan Guaido, the Free Syrian Army, Myanmar rebels, and other CIA backed forces, while hinting at a friendship with MSNBC natsec hack and fellow International Brigade member Malcolm Nance.

Referring to specific passages from Routh's book, Blumenthal shows that:

Ryan Routh calls for the assassination of Putin and Lukashenko of Belarus, arguing that their killing would bring on the demise of the Russian's state's viability as an independent power, as no one can succeed Putin.

And:

Routh urges the West to "instigate" a nuclear conflict with Russia and "strike first." He wants a "quick and decisive and powerful blow to end it once and for all," as the US did at the end of WWII.

And:

Routh declares himself a political independent, neither Republican or Democrat, but clearly loathes Trump.

And:

In a rambling passage, Routh appears to fantasize about the assassination of Trump as punishment his unraveling of the Iran deal.

And:

Routh spills lots of ink complaining about the Ukrainian state's waste and corruption. Here, he says it hampered the PR efforts of his International Legion comrade in arms in Kiev, "Malcolm," who appears to be MSNBC natsec hack and wannabe freedom fighter Malcolm Nance.

Update: It's been discovered that Routh, like Crooks, was ALSO in a Blackrock commercial: