RECAP: Donald Trump survives second assassination attempt after FBI exchanges gunfire with suspect
Donald Trump has survived a second alleged assassination attempt after the FBI exchanged fire with a gunman armed with an AK-47 near his Florida golf course.
The alleged gunman, identified in US media as Ryan Wesley Routh, is now in custody.
The FBI said the suspect was in some bushes near the property line of the golf course when Secret Service agents, who were clearing holes ahead of where Trump was playing, spotted a rifle barrel in the bushes.
Agents engaged the gunman and fired at least four rounds of ammunition. The gunman then dropped his rifle, two backpacks and other items and fled in a black Nissan car.
A witness saw the gunman and managed to take photos of his car and licence plate.
Authorities then sent out an alert to statewide agencies with the information on the vehicle, which led to sheriff’s deputies in neighbouring Martin County apprehending the suspect on I-95.
Recap the day’s events by scrolling through the posts below.
Donald Trump issues statement after assassination attempt
Donald Trump has spoken in a statement released on his Truth Social platform and praised emergency services.
“I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes - It was certainly an interesting day!” the Republican presidential candidate said.
“Most importantly, I want to thank the U.S. Secret Service, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and his Office of brave and dedicated Patriots, and, all of Law Enforcement, for the incredible job done today at Trump International in keeping me, as the 45th President of the United States, and the Republican Nominee in the upcoming Presidential Election, SAFE.
“THE JOB DONE WAS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING. I AM VERY PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!”
Textbook arrest in a pressure-packed moment
The police who arrested Donald Trump’s alleged assassin have spoken about the moment they took him into custody.
“We knew that we had a BOLO (be on the look out) for someone who opened fire on the President of the United States, there’s probably not a more volatile and potentially dangerous situation than that,” Martin County Sheriff William Snyder told local news stations.
“Our units were completely locked on, we were ready to go. Had the vehicle fled, we’d have stopped it.
“Of course, god forbid, had there been a gun fight, we were ready to engage. Thankfully because of good tactics, stopping the car, getting him out of the vehicle, we were able to stabilize the scene without any further violence,” Snyder said.
“We did not give him an opportunity to put up a fight, we had him contained, forced off the road, taken out at gunpoint.”
Combing the course
FBI Miami Field Office representative Jeffrey Veltri says the bureau is leading the investigations alongside other law enforcement agencies.
“We’ve deployed a number of resources, including investigative teams, crisis response team members, bomb technicians and evidence response team members,” Veltri said.
The US Secret Service, the Palm Beach Sheriff’s office and Martin County Sheriff’s office will also play a role in the process.
Suspect Ryan Wesley Routh had firearm ‘form’
Reports are filtering out that the alleged suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, had issues with the law dating back for decades.
CNN is saying the records from North Carolina state that in 2002 Routh was arrested after he was pulled over by police and allegedly put his hand on a firearm, before driving and barricading himself in a business, before being arrested.
Public records reveal several court cases involving Routh since the 1990s including tax evasion and fraud..
‘Shock’ from Netanyahu at assassination attempt
Benjamin Natanyahu has taken to social media to express his shock after Donald Trump was the target of another assaassination attempt.
“We send our best wishes to Donald and Melania along with our hopes that all measures will be taken to ensure that such deadly attacks on a candidate for the US presidency will be foiled in advance,” said on X.
“Sara and I were shocked by the second assassination attempt against President Trump and were relieved to hear that it too failed. But we should not rely on luck.”
Netanyahu and Trump held a very strong relationship during the former US president’s time in the Oval Office.
DeSantis says there will be independent investigation
One of Donald Trump’s former sparring partners has taken to social media to declare a full investigation will be conducted after the shooter got so close.
Governor Ron DeSantis, who ran against Trump in the Republican primaries, said the state of Florida “will be conducting its own investigation”.
“The people deserve the truth about the would be assassin and how he was able to get within 500 yards of the former president and current GOP nominee,” he wrote on X.
JD Vance says Donald Trump in good spirits
Donald Trump’s presidential running mate JD Vance has taken to X to confirm the former presidetn is safe and well.
“I’m glad President Trump is safe. I spoke to him before the news was public and he was, amazingly, in good spirits.”
“Still much we don’t know, but I’ll be hugging my kids extra tight tonight and saying a prayer of gratitude.”
What we know about alleged shooter
The alleged gunman, who is now in custody, was identified in US media as Ryan Wesley Routh.
Palm Beach County Sherrif Ric Bradshaw described Routh’s demeanour as “relatively calm, flat, affect” after his arrest.
“He was not displaying a lot of emotions. Never asked what this is about. He was not armed when we took him out of the car,” Sheriff Bradshaw said.
Routh allegedly lay waiting behind bushes about 300 metres away from the Republican presidential candidate, when he was spotted by agents. After shots were fired, he ran from the bushes into a black Nissan.
Here’s everything we know about the alleged shooter so far.
‘My father is running out of lives’
Donald Trump’s family are addressing the situation and his son Eric has spoken out.
“My father is running out of lives here,” Eric Trump told told Fox News’s Sean Hannity.
“How many more rifles are going to come within assassination distance of my father?”
Trump ‘shaken but cracking jokes’
Donald Trump is said to be shocked after the second attempt on his life in as many months but is already cracking jokes about it in phone calls with advisers and allies.
Former White House doctor, Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas said in an interview that he called Trump to check in on him around two hours after the Secret Service had driven off an armed man from the fence line of Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course.
“He told me he was always glad to hear from me but he was glad he didn’t need my services today,” said Jackson, who tended to Trump’s wounded ear while traveling with him the day after a would-be assassin’s bullet flew within inches of his brain, at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
“I just told him I was glad he was OK and he said he can’t believe this happened,” Jackson added. “But he said he’s doing well and the team was doing well.”
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