www.axios.com By Erin Doherty and Sareen Habeshian
The FBI was investigating Sunday “what appears to be an attempted assassination” of former President Trump, who is “safe” after there were “gunshots in his vicinity” at his Florida golf course, per his campaign.
The big picture: Trump in a post to Truth Social late Sunday praised the U.S. Secret Service and local law enforcement for doing an “incredible job” to keep him safe from the suspect, who was taken into custody.
- Law enforcement did not publicly name the suspect on Sunday, but he was identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, originally from Greensboro, North Carolina, and most recently based in Hawai’i, in multiple media reports by law enforcement sources.
Driving the news: A Secret Service agent ahead of Trump on the golf course spotted a rifle barrel sticking out of a fence, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said during a news briefing.
- The agent “immediately engaged” with that person, who then took off.
- “Secret Service personnel opened fire on a gunman located near the property line,” Rafael Barros, a special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Miami field office, said during the briefing.
Zoom in: A witness who saw the suspect leave the woods took a photo of the vehicle that included the license plate, aiding law enforcement in locating the car shortly after it fled the scene, per officials.
- Authorities found “an AK-47 style rifle with a scope,” two backpacks and “a GoPro which he was going to use to take pictures,” in bushes where the suspected gunman was discovered, Bradshaw said.
- Fox News host Sean Hannity said on the network that he had spoken with Trump and his golfing partner about how they were on the fifth hole of the Republican presidential nominee’s golf course when “they heard pop, pop, pop, pop.”
- Secret Service agents responded to the shooting “within seconds” and “pounced on the president, covered him,” according to Hannity.
What he’s saying: “I am safe and well, and no one was hurt. Thank God!” Trump said in an email to his fundraising list.
- He thanked well-wishers and law enforcement in his later post on Truth Social, hailing Bradshaw “and his Office of brave and dedicated Patriots.”
- Trump said the law enforcement officers had been outstanding. “I AM VERY PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!” he added.
Zoom out: The incident comes two months after Trump was targeted in an assassination attempt during a rally in Pennsylvania, where one person was killed and two others were critically wounded.
- In the July incident, a bullet grazed Trump’s ear.
- The suspected shooter died on the scene.
State of play: President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been briefed about “the security incident,” the White House said in a statement.
- “They are relieved to know that he is safe,” the White House said. “They will be kept regularly updated by their team.”
- Biden in a statement commended the Secret Service and its law enforcement partners for keeping Trump safe, saying: “There is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country.”
- Harris said in a statement: “I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America.”
What we’re watching: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state will be “conducting its own investigation” into the incident…
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