Gunfire Erupts at Trump’s Florida Golf Club: FBI Probes Chilling Assassination Attempt

The FBI is investigating what it calls an “attempted assassination” of former U.S. President Donald Trump after a dramatic shooting unfolded at his Florida golf resort on Sunday afternoon. The shocking incident, which has sent ripples through an already turbulent election season, occurred while Trump was on the course, just a few hundred yards away from the gunman.

An Afternoon of Terror in Florida

At around 2 p.m. local time (18:00 GMT), the tranquility of Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach was shattered by the unmistakable sound of gunfire. Trump, who was playing a round of golf with Steve Witkoff, a prominent Republican donor, found himself at the center of a chilling scene straight out of a political thriller. As the former president was moving between the fifth and sixth holes, Secret Service agents on high alert caught sight of a gun barrel peeking out from a dense thicket of bushes at the edge of the course.

Within seconds, shots rang out. In a rapid response, Secret Service agents drew their weapons and fired back, targeting the muzzle flash in the distance. The suspect, later identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, dropped his firearm and fled the scene in a black Nissan SUV, leaving behind a semiautomatic rifle, a scope, and two backpacks. In a disturbing twist, one of the backpacks contained a GoPro camera, suggesting the suspect might have planned to record the assassination attempt.

The Hunt for the Gunman

As Trump was quickly escorted off the course and back to his Mar-a-Lago residence, the hunt for the suspect began. A vigilant eyewitness managed to snap a photo of the suspect’s getaway car, providing crucial information that led authorities to intercept the vehicle in a neighboring county. Routh, a man with a perplexing political background, was captured without resistance. According to Martin County Sheriff William Snyder, Routh’s demeanor during his arrest was unnervingly calm, as he showed “little emotion” and never asked, “What is this about?”

“This guy wasn’t rattled,” Snyder commented, reflecting the bewilderment of law enforcement officers. “You’d expect some reaction, but there was nothing. He didn’t seem like a man who had just tried to kill a former president.”

Who is Ryan Wesley Routh? A Mysterious Suspect Emerges

The suspect, identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, is a man of contradictions and mysteries. His social media history reveals a complex and evolving political stance. In 2016, he publicly supported Trump, but by 2020, his posts indicated a shift towards supporting President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Yet, his recent actions defy easy explanation.

Routh, originally from North Carolina, moved to Hawaii in 2018, where he ran a shed-building business with his son. But he was no ordinary handyman. Last year, he spoke to The New York Times about his extraordinary involvement in international conflicts. Routh claimed to have traveled to Ukraine after the Russian invasion in 2022 to recruit soldiers from Afghan refugees, a rogue mission that caught the attention of U.S. intelligence agencies. He also admitted to contemplating buying “passports through Pakistan,” raising eyebrows with his candid talk of using corrupt networks.

Routh’s son, Oran, expressed shock at the unfolding events. “I hope this is all a misunderstanding,” he told CNN. “My father is a loving, caring man… it’s just not like him to do anything violent.” But those who knew Routh well describe a man increasingly obsessed with global politics and driven by a complex sense of mission.

A Campaign Year of Unprecedented Drama

This latest assassination attempt adds a dramatic new chapter to a campaign year already filled with unprecedented upheaval. Just two months ago, in July, Trump narrowly escaped death when a bullet grazed his ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. That incident not only shook the nation but also led to President Biden unexpectedly withdrawing from the race, paving the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to become the Democratic nominee. With only weeks left until Election Day, the stakes have never been higher, and Trump’s survival is now a central theme of his campaign narrative.

Trump, ever the showman, wasted no time in addressing his supporters. In an email sent just hours after the shooting, he wrote: “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but I wanted you to hear this from me: I AM SAFE AND WELL! Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER!” His defiance was palpable, and his supporters rallied around his call for unity and vigilance in the face of what he described as a “cowardly act of political violence.”

Security Under Scrutiny: How Did It Happen Again?

The Secret Service, already under fire for security lapses during the July attempt on Trump’s life, now faces intense scrutiny over this latest breach. How could a gunman armed with a rifle and scope get so close to the former president? And why wasn’t the threat neutralized sooner? These questions are now the subject of multiple investigations, with many calling for a complete overhaul of the Secret Service’s protective strategies.

Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of Palm Beach County revealed that the suspect had been lying in wait, positioned within the firing range of his weapon. “The threat was real, and it was imminent,” Bradshaw said. “We’re just grateful that our agents acted as quickly as they did.”