Secret Service shoots gunman near Trump on golf course; FBI investigates incident as apparent assassination attempt

Former President Donald Trump is “safe and unharmed” after Secret Service agents attacked a suspect with 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 the US Secret Service are investigating the incident, which, according to the FBI, “appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump.”

“President Trump is safe following the shooting near him,” said Steven Cheung, communications director for Trump's campaign, in a brief initial statement.

Law enforcement officials confirmed that members of Trump's Secret Service opened fire on the armed suspect after spotting him on the edge of the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, a few holes before the president's golf course. Secret Service officials said it was not clear whether the suspect fired any shots.

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

“The Secret Service did exactly what it was supposed to do, and its agent did a fantastic job,” Bradshaw said.

Several officials told CBS News the suspect's name is Ryan Wesley Routh. He is 58 and has had previous encounters with police, according to court documents.

According to official information, no motive has been determined at this time.

Officials say they found a rifle, rifle scope and GoPro camera

Sheriff Bradshaw said Palm Beach County police received a call from the U.S. Secret Service at 1:30 p.m. Sunday reporting shots fired. Units immediately moved to cordon off the area. Bradshaw said a witness saw a man jump out of the bushes and flee in a black Nissan. The witness took a photo of the license plate and the car was spotted heading north on I-95 toward Martin County, about 50 miles away, where the driver was stopped and arrested. Bradshaw said the witness then identified the person as the man seen in the bushes.

Police found an AK47 rifle with a scope, two backpacks containing ceramic tiles and a GoPro camera in the bushes at the crime scene, Bradshaw said. Photos of the weapon and backpack were shown at the briefing.

Rafael Barros, special agent in charge of the Secret Service's Miami field office, said at the press conference that the agency “is not yet sure whether the individual was capable of shooting at our agents.”

In an earlier statement, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi also said the USSS was working with local authorities at the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office in the investigation.

Suspect criticized Trump on social media

CBS News has identified several social media profiles that appear to be connected to the suspect. Routh did not make any threats in his posts, but frequently posted political themes. According to the state Board of Elections, he voted Democratic in North Carolina's 2024 primary and appears to be registered as an unaffiliated voter.

His now-blocked X-account contained numerous posts about Trump.

“@realDonaldTrump Even though you were my choice in 2016, I and the world hoped President Trump would be different and better than the nominee, but we were all very disappointed and it seems you are getting worse and regressing,” he wrote in a post in June 2020. “I'll be glad when you're gone.”

He also referred to the Assassination attempt on 13 July to Trump, suggesting that President Biden and Vice President Harris visit the injured and attend the funeral of the killed rally participant in Pennsylvania.

A Facebook account in the suspect's name was no longer online on Sunday evening.

He also posted several times about the ongoing War in Ukrainein one post, he wrote, “I'm ready to go out and fight and DIE to defeat Putin.” He was interviewed by several news organizations, including The New York Times and Semafor in 2023 and Newsweek Romania in 2022, and spoke about trying to recruit volunteer fighters to help Ukraine fight the Russian invasion, though it was not clear whether his efforts were successful. “It's about good versus evil,” he told Newsweek Romania. In a post on LinkedIn, he shared a photo of himself in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.

The LinkedIn account shows that Routh lived in Hawaii and owned Camp Box Honolulu, a shed-building company. The account also says he attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and graduated in 1998. According to property records, he appears to have spent most of his life in North Carolina.

Routh's troubles with the law date back to the 1990s, according to court records. A law enforcement source told CBS News that Routh was charged and convicted of numerous crimes in Guilford County, North Carolina, between 2002 and 2010. In 2002, he was charged with possession of a weapon of mass destruction, which is a felony, according to North Carolina Department of Corrections records. In another case, he was charged with minor misdemeanors, including hit-and-run and resisting arrest.

Trump, the White House and other heads of state and government react

According to several people who have spoken with the former president, Trump is in good spirits tonight and has told several friends, family members and advisers what happened. He praised the Secret Service and thanked them for their response. He also joked that he wished he could have finished his round of golf. He has told others he is determined to continue campaigning this week.

Trump sent a message about the incident in a fundraising email and said he was safe.

“Shots were fired near me, but before the rumor mill gets out of control, I want you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND I AM FINE,” Trump said.

Later Sunday night, Trump wrote on social media: “Most importantly, I want to thank the U.S. Secret Service, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and his office of brave and dedicated patriots, and all law enforcement for the incredible job they did today at Trump International to keep me SAFE as the 45th President of the United States and Republican nominee in the upcoming Presidential Election.”

Trump's running mate, Senator JD Vance, said on social media that he had spoken to the former president before news of the incident became public. He said Trump was “amazingly good-humored” during their conversation.

“We still don't know much, but I'm going to give my kids an extra big hug tonight and say a prayer of thanks,” Vance wrote on X.

The White House said President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were informed of the incident on Sunday afternoon.

“They are relieved to know that [Trump] is safe,” the White House said in a statement. “They are being regularly updated by their team.”

In a separate post on X, Harris reiterated: “I'm glad he's safe. Violence has no place in America.”

Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and close ally of the former president, said in a post on X that he had spoken to Trump, who is “in good spirits and more determined than ever to save our country.”

“He is one of the strongest people I have ever known,” Graham added.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said on social media that he and his wife had just spent a few hours with Trump at Mar-a-Lago “and thank God for protecting him today.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell wrote: “I am very grateful that President Trump is safe after yet another assassination attempt. There is no place for political violence in our country, and those responsible must be held accountable. I hope and expect the USSS and FBI will conduct a thorough, swift and transparent investigation.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who ran against Trump in this year's Republican primaries, said the state would conduct “its own investigation” into the incident.

“People have a right to know the truth about the would-be assassin and how he was able to get within 500 yards of the former president and current Republican candidate,” he wrote on X.

The incident occurred two months after a Assassination against the former president during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump was grazed on the ear. One participant at the rally on July 13 was killed and two others injured.

Andres TriayArden Farhi and Robert Costa contributed to this report.