It was the second attempt on the life of the Republican Party Presidential Candidate, Donald Trump.
American security services arrested Ryan Wesley Routh for aiming an AK-47 at the former President when he was playing Golf.
The Presidential candidate was second time lucky having survived an earlier attempt when the bullet grazed his ear before the assailant was shot dead by the security services.
Who is Ryan Wesley Routh?
Ryan Wesley Routh, 58 was arrested after Secret Service agents opened fire near the boundary of Trump’s golf course.
He is reported to be a former construction worker.
He was found in possession of an AK-47-style rifle with a scope and a GoPro camera was recovered at the scene.
Secret Service agents opened fire after they spotted Routh who was hiding in a bush. Rouch ran out the shrub and escaped in a black car.
However, law enforcement officials were able to track the getaway car after onlookers helped police identify the vehicle.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw spoke to the press and stated,
“We have somebody in custody right now that is a potential suspect”
According to NYT, Routh is a former construction worker and is not from a military background but has regularly expressed his desire to participate in conflicts like the one in Ukraine in his posts on social media posts.
He also asked civilians to rise and change the course of global conflicts.
He wrote in a post on X
“I am willing to fly to krakow and go to the border of Ukraine to volunteer and fight and die.”
An interview with NYT boasted of having travelled to Ukraine to support it in its war efforts to recruit Afghan soldiers.
Ryan Wesley Routh was originally from Hawaii and also runs a shed-building company in Camp Box Honolulu.
He is a staunch Democrat supporter and regularly contributed to the party funds. He also donated to Hawaii’s former Representative Tulsi Gabbard who changed sides and is now a Trump supporter.
It is also reported that he had supported Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikki Haley in the upcoming elections before they withdrew from the race.
Ryan Wesley Routh had derided their decision and in the post stated,
“You cannot quit. Why? You must stay on the ballot to the end. You must fight. You must continue giving speeches and push all the way to Election Day, no matter the results. Do not give in. Join Nikki and keep working. Never give up,”
Ryan Wesley Routh had earlier been arrested in 2002 after he barricaded himself in a building with a fully automatic weapon in Greensboro.
It is not clear if he was convicted in the case.
Trump Campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement,
“President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity,”
Trump also texted on a website fundraising message,
“Fear not! I am safe and well, and no one was hurt. Thank God!”
