Ryan Wesley Routh, a 58-year-old man, has been charged with attempting to kill former President Donald Trump outside of his south Florida golf course on 15 September. Routh was indicted on five counts in federal court, including attempted assassination of a major political candidate. Prosecutors allege that Routh had been planning the murder for at least a month, staking out the golf course and leaving behind a note describing his intent to kill Trump. The note indicated that Routh was motivated by Trump’s foreign policy decisions, specifically regarding Iran.
Authorities say that Routh was armed with a semi-automatic rifle with a scope and intended to open fire on Trump as he played golf. A US Secret Service agent on site spotted Routh with the rifle aimed directly at him and fired at Routh as he attempted to escape in his Nissan SUV. Routh was eventually caught traveling north on I-95.
Before the assassination attempt, Routh had a criminal history, including a conviction for illegally possessing a fully automatic machine gun and multiple counts of possession of stolen goods. Prosecutors also found a handwritten list of dates and venues where Trump was expected to be present on one of Routh’s cellphones, as well as a Google search for how to travel from Palm Beach to Mexico City.
The US Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that the Department of Justice will use every available tool to hold Routh accountable for the attempted assassination of Trump. This incident highlights the importance of preventing violence against public officials and protecting the democratic process.
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