During the critical 12-hour period that seemingly involved an assassination attempt near the Trump International Golf Club.
This time, it was an agent defending Trump who discharged a weapon, not a sniper lurking nearby. Trump was safely evacuated, managing to avoid any harm. The suspected shooter, believed to be Ryan Wesley Routh, allegedly remained in the vicinity of the golf course's tree-line perimeter for around 12 hours prior to being discovered. He fled the scene in a car post-incident.
The recent alleged assassination attempt on Trump, the second within two months, has brought up numerous questions. These questions include understanding the motives and movements of the captive suspect, along with evaluating whether the Secret Service adequately secured a last-minute golf outing for Trump.
According to authorities, Routh arrived near the golf course's tree-lined fence at 1:59 a.m. on Sunday. His phone's location data, based on T-Mobile records, showed that his device was in the vicinity of the golf course for approximately 12 hours before he was spotted by the Secret Service.
At a press conference, Jeffrey Veltri, the FBI Miami Field Office's special agent in charge, said the cell phone data suggested that Routh was in "very close proximity" to where he was detected by the Secret Service.
Authorities discovered a sniper's hideout along the fence. Routh was purportedly in possession of an SKS-style rifle, featuring a scope and a destroyed serial number. A backpack attached to the fence contained ceramic tiles similar to those used in bulletproof vests. A GoPro camera and a black plastic bag filled with food were also found on the fence, as depicted in a crime scene photo released on Sunday.
It remains unclear as to why Routh chose to visit the golf course that day. Trump's public schedule did not include the golf outing, and it turned out to be an "off-the-record movement" added to Trump's calendar, as per acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe.
Despite the scorching 90-degree temperature and humidity in West Palm Beach that day, Trump often plays golf at the course while staying at Mar-a-Lago.
On Sunday, Trump played golf with a donor named Steve Witkoff. Despite being even par by the fifth hole, according to Sean Hannity, Trump joked to CNN that he was actually two under par and in the midst of a fantastic game of golf.
At the fifth fairway, Trump was having a great round while walking along, with his Secret Service team sweeping the perimeter of the course on the sixth hole ahead of him.
At 1:31 p.m. ET, an agent observing the sixth green spotted a rifle peeking out from the tree line. The agent fired in the direction of the rifle, as stated in the criminal complaint. When the former President was moving through the fifth fairway and out of sight of the sixth green, the agent, who was surveying the area, saw a person carrying an object perceived to be a rifle and acted accordingly.
According to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, Routh was approximately 300-500 yards away from the former President. Despite having a visible presence, Routh did not target the Secret Service agents and never fired any shots.
Trump shared his account of the incident for the first time on Monday during an X Spaces conversation.
"We heard shots being fired in the air, and I believe it must have been four or five, but what do I know about that? But the Secret Service knew immediately that it was bullets, and they grabbed me, as well as Steve Witkoff, a great friend of mine," Trump said.
"We all piled into the carts and moved along quickly," he continued. "I was accompanied by an agent, who did an extraordinary job. There was no question that we had to leave that course. I wished I could have made that last putt, but we chose to expedite our departure."
The suspect escapes and a witness intervenes
Following the Secret Service agent's shot directed at his position on the fence, the suspect fled in a black Nissan SUV, heading east towards I-95 and travelling north on the freeway, as reported by authorities.
The crucial factor in tracing Routh was an eyewitness who captured an image of his car and license plate near the scene of the crime. This information facilitated the apprehension of the suspect after about 45 minutes in Martin County, approximately 40 miles away from the golf course.
The eyewitness' cooperation was described as "remarkable" by Jeffrey Veltri about Routh's eventual arrest.
At around 1:55 p.m. ET on Sunday, Martin County Sheriff's Office received a BOLO alert (be on the lookout) about a suspect heading north on I-95, with a vehicle description and a tag number.
The Martin County Sheriff's Office then "swarmed" the area. According to Sheriff William Snyder, there was an overwhelming presence of law enforcement in the location where Routh was arrested.
All relevant units, approximately 30 of them, set out in search, as per Snyder's statement on Monday.
A patrol officer spotted the suspect vehicle around mile marker 110 and signaled others, maintaining a distance and not attempting an immediate stop. Instead, the officer strategically positioned two large F-250 pickup trucks on the highway to halt the vehicle near State Route 714.
The felony stop took place at 2:14 p.m. ET, resulting in Routh exiting the vehicle and being handcuffed by the deputies, according to Snyder. He was then taken into custody, Snyder added. Per the affidavit supporting the criminal complaint, Routh acknowledged knowing the reason for the stop.
Snyder described Routh's appearance as uncannily calm. His facial expression was devoid of emotion, and his demeanor was as relaxed as if he had just left a church picnic.
During the detainment, Routh was driving his daughter's car, as reported by a law enforcement insider. The license plate on the Nissan SUV corresponded to a 2012 white Ford truck that had been reported missing, according to the charge details.
The original witness who saw Routh fleeing the golf course was flown to the scene by the Palm Beach County sheriff's helicopter to identify him after he was apprehended, Snyder shared with CNN's Erin Burnett during their evening segment. The Martin County Sheriff's Office transferred Routh into the custody of the FBI and Secret Service upon their arrival at the scene, Snyder further mentioned.
Routh was indicted on Monday with two initial charges comprising possession of a firearm while a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obstructed serial number. Furthermore, additional charges might be brought against him, insiders in law enforcement informed CNN.
CNN’s Kristen Holmes, Evan Perez, Holmes Lybrand, Michael Williams, Devan Cole, Eric Levinson and Andy Rose contributed to this report.
The incident at the golf course has sparked intense discussions in the political sphere, with many questioning the security measures in place for high-profile figures. Given the recent attempts on Trump's life, there are calls for a thorough review of the Secret Service's protocols.
Despite fleeing the scene, Ryan Wesley Routh's actions were closely monitored by authorities, thanks to valuable information provided by an eyewitness who captured his car's image and license plate. This evidence was instrumental in apprehending Routh and bringing him to justice.
