Ryan Routh, a 58-year-old male, is facing charges related to gun crimes after purportedly targeting former US president, Donald Trump, at his Florida golf course with a rifle. This act took place on the 15th of September while Trump was engaged in a golf game. The revelation came from a US court prosecutor, who mentioned it on Monday. Routh, who has not entered his plea yet, is scheduled for a hearing on Monday. The prosecutors seek to retain Routh in prison until his trial commences.
In addition to this incident, months prior, Routh allegedly delivered a manuscript to “the world”. In this letter, he voiced his failure in assassinating Donald Trump and offered a sum of $150,000 to anyone who could successfully execute the task.
The prosecutors detailed the discovery of this letter, which was found in a box given by an anonymous civilian to the court. The box contained ammunition, multiple phones, and a metal pipe. Upon his arrest, Routh’s car held a manually written list of dates and locations of Trump’s past and future appearances. His mobile phone record showed that his devices were in close proximity to the Trump International golf course, the location of the reported incident, and Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump’s residence.
Charges against Routh include the possession of a firearm by a formerly convicted felon and possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number. Authorities suggest that more charges could be imminent.
The incident that led to Routh’s arrest occurred when a US Secret Service agent identified the weapon, and shot in Routh’s direction, causing him to take off. He was later apprehended on a highway in Florida.
US authorities have declared that Mr Routh did not take any shots nor did he have visibility of Trump during the event at the golf premises, as Trump was several hundred yards away. The possible motive behind the scene remains undisclosed. The FBI is investigating the case, exploring if it was an attempted assassination of Mr Trump prior to the Presidential Election on November 5th.
The incidence took place roughly two months following a separate event where an armed attacker shot at and injured Mr Trump’s ear at a campaign gathering in Butler, Pennsylvania. The latter was fatally shot by the Secret Service. These occurrences have drawn attention to potential threats facing the Secret Service amidst growing political unrest and aggression in the USA.
Mr Routh, a beleaguered roofing contractor residing recently in Hawaii, has a criminal background. He was a prominent advocate for Ukraine, known for his eccentric attempts to enrol Afghans to stand up against Russia’s invasion.
In his self-published book from 2023, Mr Routh penned his views regarding Iran’s freedom to target Trump owing to the latters’ withdrawal of the United States from an international nuclear treaty with Tehran during his tenure as president.
In December 2002, Mr Routh was found guilty in North Carolina for possession of a weapon capable of causing mass destruction. Court records also indicate his conviction in 2010 for being in possession of stolen assets.
Mobile phone data revealed Mr Routh possibly waiting near the site for about 12 hours, starting approximately from 2 am till 1:30 pm when the firearm was discovered, according to the criminal accusation. The crime scene investigation led to the unearthing of a loaded SKS-style rifle featuring a scope, a digital camera, and a plastic bag containing food as mentioned in the claim.