Five things you should know about the shooting at his Florida golf club – India TV

Assassination attempt on Donald Trump: Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was the victim of an assassination attempt on Sunday while playing golf on his Florida estate. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed the incident as an “attempted murder.” It is the second such attack on Trump within nine weeks. Secret Service agents spotted and shot a gunman in bushes near the golf course's property line, a few hundred meters from where Trump was playing, police officials said.

Just two months after surviving a shooting at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania that left him with a minor injury to his right ear, Trump has again become the target of an assassination attempt. Just seven weeks before the November 5 presidential election, both incidents underscore the heightened risks presidential candidates face in a highly polarized political environment. It remains unclear how the suspect knew of Trump's presence at the golf course, but the incident is expected to spark renewed scrutiny of security measures surrounding the former president.

Here are five things you should know about the apparent assassination attempt on Trump:

How did the attack come about?

Local authorities have revealed that the gunman who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump was hiding in the bushes at Trump International Golf Club, 350 to 450 yards from the former president. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw noted that individuals are “virtually out of sight” in the thick bushes, making them difficult to detect. Bradshaw also emphasized the different security measures in place since Trump is no longer the sitting president. While the entire golf course would have been secured by police if Trump were still in office, current security is limited to areas that U.S. intelligence deems necessary, he added.

Who is the suspect?

Authorities have identified the man arrested for the attempted murder of former President Donald Trump as Ryan Wesley Routh. After the incident, Routh fled in an SUV after dropping the gun, but was later arrested in a neighboring county. Officials reported that Routh had two backpacks hanging from a fence near the crime scene and was equipped with a GoPro camera. While the motive for the attack remains unclear, records from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction show that Routh was previously convicted of possession of a weapon of mass destruction in 2002. The investigation is ongoing.

Donald Trump's reaction

In an email to his supporters, Trump wrote: “There was a shooting near me, but before the rumor mill gets out of control, I want you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND FINE!” His running mate JD Vance and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said they spoke with Trump after the incident and both said he was “in good spirits.” Trump later returned to his private club Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, where he lives.

FBI investigates the incident

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the assassination attempt. The FBI said Trump was the target of an “apparent attempted murder” at his golf club in West Palm Beach. The FBI is leading the investigation and is trying to determine a motive. Federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisted in the investigation.

What happens to Trump's planned timetable?

Trump has not announced any changes to his schedule and is expected to speak live on X from his Mar-a-Lago resort on Monday night to launch his sons' crypto platform. Meanwhile, the heads of a bipartisan congressional task force investigating the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump said they had requested a briefing from the Secret Service. U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat who is part of the task force, said he would “seek answers about what happened on Sunday.”

(With inputs from AP)

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