Secret Service shoots man with gun near Trump on golf course; FBI investigating as possible assassination attempt

Former President Donald Trump is “safe and unharmed” after Secret Service agents engaged with a suspect pointing a high-powered rifle at the Florida golf course where Trump was golfing Sunday afternoon, officials said.

The suspect fled but was later taken into custody.

The FBI and U.S. Secret Service are investigating the incident, which the FBI said “appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump.”

“President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity,” Steven Cheung, Trump campaign communications director, said in a brief initial statement.

Law enforcement officials confirmed that members of Trump’s U.S. Secret Service detail opened fire at the armed suspect after spotting him on the edge of the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, a few holes ahead of where the president was golfing. Secret Service officials said it was not clear if the suspect fired any shots.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said in a briefing that Trump was about 300-500 yards away from the man with the gun.

“Secret Service did exactly what they should have done, and their agent did a fantastic job,” Bradshaw said.

Multiple officials tell CBS News the suspect’s name is Ryan Wesley Routh. He is in his late 50s and has had previous encounters with law enforcement, according to court documents.

Officials said no motive has been determined at this time.

Sheriff Bradshaw said Palm Beach County Police received a call from U.S. Secret Service at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday that shots had been fired. Units immediately moved to seal off the area, and a witness took a photo of the license plate number, leading to the detainment of the suspect.

Law enforcement found an AK47-style rifle with a scope, two backpacks with ceramic tile, and a GoPro camera in the bushes at the scene.

Rafael Barros, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Miami field office, said in the briefing that the agency is “not sure yet if (the) individual was able to take a shot at our agents.”

CBS News identified several social media profiles connected to the suspect, with posts criticizing Trump and referencing the July 13 assassination attempt on him.

The suspect’s LinkedIn account indicates that he lived in Hawaii and owned a shed-building company. He had previous encounters with the law dating back to the 1990s, with charges ranging from possession of a weapon of mass destruction to misdemeanors.

Trump is reported to be in good spirits following the incident, expressing gratitude towards the Secret Service. Several political leaders, including President Biden, Vice President Harris, Sen. JD Vance, and others, have responded to the incident, expressing relief that Trump is safe and condemning political violence.

The incident comes two months after a previous assassination attempt on Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, highlighting concerns about his safety and the need for a thorough investigation into the recent attempt.