Former US President Donald Trump escapes second assassination attempt, he was rushed to safety on Sunday. The FBI called this to be an apparent assassination attempt at Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach. This second attach on Trump has taken place exactly two months after an assassination attempt at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. In the first attempt Trump’s ear was injured but killed one of his supporters. The suspected attacker of this second attack is identified as Ryan Routh.
Second apparent assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump – US Secret service comes under heavy criticism
Secret Service Agents spotted the suspect at the crime scene?
It is said that, the secret service agents, according to their routine were cleansing the area. To perform security checks agents go one hole ahead of the former President as he played at his West Palm Beach international golf course club. This golf course is just 15 minutes from Trump’s Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago.
Reports state that Trump was about 300 to 500 yards away from the suspected gun man. Country Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, spotted a muzzle of the rifle supposedly to be an AK-47 rifle. Sheriff Bradshaw said, “The secret service responded swiftly and ‘engaged’ the suspect holding the rifle but he fled the crime scene.”
How is Donald Trump’s condition after the attack?
Trump is absolutely safe. Immediately after the attack the Republican campaign team issued a statement stating, “There were gun shots in my vicinity, but before rumours start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I am safe and well.”
How was Ryan Routh, the suspect nabbed?
Sheriff Bradshaw said, “The agents opened fire immediately after spotting the attacker, they fired 4 to 5 rounds of ammunition. The suspect dropped his weapon, a GoPro camera, a scope used for aiming a weapon and two knapsacks, and fled the crime spot in a vehicle. A bystander clicked pictures of a man fleeing in a black Nissan, from the shrubbery and handed those pictures to the law enforcement agency.” The suspect Ryan Wesley Routh, was nabbed by police around 61 Kms. away from the crime scene, on the I-95 highway, at the Martin County.
Who is Ryan Wesley Routh?
The suspect Ryan Wesley Routh, is 58 years old, originally from Greensboro, North Carolina. He shifted to Hawaii in 2018. He was roofing contractor and was engaged in small business.
Details revealed by the law enforcement agency say that the suspect Ryan Wesley Routh, is a construction worker and had no military background. It is said that social media profiles matching Ryan’s name indicate that he called for foreign fighters’ to go to Ukraine to fight against Russian aggression. Such suspected profiles also share messages which are pro-Palestinian, pro-Taiwan and anti-China. His hatred against China are expressed through messages alleging China for a biological war referring to the Covid-19 as a virus attack.
Though Ryan, do not have any military experience, perturbed by the Russian invasion in Ukraine he started searching for Afghans, who fled the Taliban, to recruit them to fight against Russia. In 2023, he visited Ukraine. Messages on such suspected social media accounts suggests Ryan was trying to recruit soldiers. Ukrainian soldiers, through a message posted on Facebook in the month of July were told, “Soldiers, please do not call me. We are still trying to get Ukraine to accept Afghan soldiers and hope to have some answers in the coming months.. please have patience.”
Suspect Ryan Wesley Routh’s son Oran talks to media?
Oran, son of the suspect Ryan Wesley Routh, told the media that, “His father is a loving and caring father”. He was unaware of the incident that involves his father.
Is it a failure of secret service agency?
After the first assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, lawmakers and watchdogs took the secret service to task. The biggest question asked to the secret service was, “How a gunman could reach the rooftop with an AR-15 rifle just 400 feet away from the former president and launch an attack?”
This second attack on the former president Donald Trump, in just two months has gathered clouds of suspicion on the performance of the US secret service.
White House response after the failed attack:
A statement released by the White House conveys – US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris ‘relieved’ that Trump is unharmed.