Ryan Wesley Routh, the alleged would-be Trump assassin, set up a sniper’s nest near the former President’s golf course and hid there for nearly 12 hours before the apparent ambush attempt, federal prosecutors said Monday.
Routh’s cell phone pinged to the spot on the edge of Trump International West Palm Beach starting from 1:59 a.m. on Sunday, the federal criminal complaint said.
His gun barrel was spotted by a Secret Service agent about 1:30 p.m. — while Trump was on the links 300-500 yards away.
In the sniper’s nest agents found a digital camera, two bags and a loaded SKS-style rifle that was obliterated and unreadable to the naked eye, according to the complaint.
SKS-style rifles are not manufactured in Florida and the weapon was either brought in from another state or country, the complaint reads.
Moments after the Secret Service agent fired at Routh, a witness saw the suspect speeding away from the golf course in a Nissan sport vehicle that had stolen license plates.
Routh was later caught by authorities on I-95.
According to the complaint, Routh was convicted in 2002 in Greensboro, North Carolina after he was found with a weapon of mass death and destruction.
He was later convicted in 2010 of multiple counts of possession of stolen goods, per the complaint.
Here’s what we know about the assassination attempt on Trump in Florida:
- Former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on Sept. 15, 2024.
- Trump sent out a statement to supporters soon after to report that he was “SAFE AND WELL.”
- The suspect — identified as Ryan Routh, 58, of Hawaii — was able to get within 300 to 500 yards of Trump at a chain link fence on the edge of the course, where he had an AK-47 and a GoPro camera set up, apparently to record the planned shooting.
- Routh has a history of supporting progressive causes online and has made 19 donations to Democratic candidates since 2019.
- A Secret Service agent spotted and opened fire on Routh as he put his gun through the fence. The suspect fled and was arrested on I-95 a short time later.
- According to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, Trump’s security detail was lighter because he isn’t a sitting president — despite the previous attempt on his life in July.
In the sniper’s nest agents found a digital camera, two bags and a loaded SKS-style rifle that was scratched of and unreadable, according to the complaint.
The SKS is also a Soviet-designed assault rifle, like the AK-47.
Moments after the Secret Service agent fired at Routh, a witness saw the suspect speeding away from the golf course in a Nissan sport vehicle that had stolen license plates.
Routh was later caught by authorities on I-95.
According to the complaint, Routh was convicted in 2002 in Greensboro, North Carolina after he was found with a weapon of mass death and destruction.
He was later convicted in 2010 of multiple counts of possession of stolen goods, per the complaint.
