Donald Trump assassination attempt: FBI confirms Ryan Routh ‘did not have line of sight’ to former president

The FBI, Secret Service and local police have shared new details about the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

Trump was playing golf at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on Monday when a Secret Service agent saw the barrel of an AK-47-style assault rifle protruding from the fence line.

The agent engaged and the would-be assassin fled before being caught by local police on a nearby highway.

Ryan Routh, 58 was identified as the subject and has been detained and charged with two gun-related crimes in federal court.

On Tuesday, the FBI acting director Ronald Rowe told reporters that a Secret Service agent was “visually sweeping the area, saw the subject armed with what he perceived to be a rifle, and immediately discharged his firearm”.

“The subject who did not have line of sight to the former president, fled the scene. He did not fire or get off any shots at our agent with reports of gunfire,” Mr Rowe said.

The agent was with Trump as part of additional protections Preside Joe Biden organised after the first attempt on Trump’s life at a rally in Pennsylvania.

Details of the gunman’s movements in the hours before the assassination have emerged.

Phone records suggest the suspect was lying in wait for nearly 12 hours according to a criminal complaint.

The data shows Routh in the location “from 1.59am” local time.

However, whether Routh knew Trump would be at the location remains unclear.

Trump has been described as a “creature of habit” and often plays golf on weekends if he is in town.

“It was not on (Trump’s) schedule... he wasn’t even really supposed to go there,” Mr Rowe said.

Asked if Routh knew Trump would be at the golf course, Mr Rower said “Based on what I know now, and it’s an active investigation, I don’t have any information on that.”

Routh had been on the fence line of the golf course with his weapon and bags with ceramic plates to stop bullets that may have been shot towards him.

Footage of Ryan Routh’s arrest

Footage of the dramatic arrest of the would-be assassin has emerged on Tuesday.

The video came from an officer’s body cam and shows Routh raising his top over his head to expose he does not have concealed weapons under his clothing.

The subject was told to face away from officers and walk backwards with his arms raised.

As Routh backs towards the police, he is arrested on the side of the highway.

Ryan Routh charged after assassination attempt

Routh has so far only been charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

More charges are expected but the initial charges allow law enforcement to continue detaining Routh while investigations continue.

Routh has two prior convictions, both in North Carolina, according to the criminal complaint: a 2002 conviction for possession of a weapon of mass death and destruction and a 2010 conviction for possession of stolen goods. Further details about those cases were not immediately available.

Donald Trump reacts after second assassination attempt

Trump blamed President Joe Biden and Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris for the assassination attempt.

He cited their “rhetoric” and claimed the suspected gunman was acting on Democrats’ “highly inflammatory language,” though authorities have not yet offered evidence of any motive.

“Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country - both from the inside and out,” he said, according to Fox.

Trump is believed to still be at his Mar-a-Lago Florida residence with the local sheriff saying security is now at “the highest it could possibly be”.

- With Reuters