Former President Donald Trump’s alleged would-be assassin was previously on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) radar, Special Agent Jeffrey B. Veltri said during a press conference on Monday.
Veltri, the special agent in charge for the Miami field office, said the suspect, 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, was the subject of a previously closed 2019 tip to the agency in which it was alleged that Routh was in possession of a firearm as a felon.
“And, following up on the tip, the alleged complainant was interviewed and did not verify — I repeat — did not verify providing the initial information. The FBI passed that information to local law enforcement and Honolulu,” Veltri said at the press conference at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
Veltri noted that, in 2002, Routh was charged and convicted in North Carolina for possession of a weapon of mass destruction. Routh allegedly barricaded himself and had a standoff with police. The Greensboro News & Record noted that once the standoff ended, Routh was arrested and “charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a weapon of mass destruction, referring to a fully automatic machine gun.”
“Law enforcement checks also revealed that from 1997 to 2010, the subject had numerous felony charges for stolen goods,” Veltri said.
The press conference was held a day after the assassination attempt on Trump at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. The incident was the second attempt on Trump’s life in two months, the first occurring during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July when a bullet struck Trump’s ear and left his face bloodied as he was speaking to the crowd.
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As Breitbart News reported, Routh allegedly hid in the bushes near Trump International Golf Course, where he appeared to be lying in wait for Trump, who was golfing, to come into his view. Federal prosecutors on Monday said that Routh concealed himself there for almost 12 hours before the incident.
Routh had with him a rifle with a scope, backpacks, and a Go-Pro, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office.
Breitbart News reported:
Secret Service agents, who apparently travel a hole or two ahead of Trump while he’s golfing to secure the area, encountered Routh before he was able to fire rounds at the 45th president.
An agent apparently shot at Routh, who then fled the scene in a vehicle. A witness was able to take photos of the getaway car and its tag, the sheriff’s office said. From there, law enforcement caught up to the suspect and took him into custody.
The FBI now says it is investigating an apparent second assassination attempt against Trump. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), meanwhile, announced that the state of Florida will conduct its own investigation into what happened separate from the federal investigation.
WATCH:
Veltri said FBI agents attempted to interview Routh, but “he invoked his right to an attorney in the last 24 hours.”
Veltri said various law enforcement agencies are working to obtain and execute search warrants of Routh’s vehicle and devices, including those at his previous known addresses. The FBI is also interviewing Secret Service agents on the scene and seven civilian witnesses. The agency’s Honolulu and Charlotte field offices have initiated interviews with several family members, friends, and former colleagues, Veltri said.
“The subject had an active online presence, and we are going through what he posted and any searches he conducted online,” he added.
Routh appears to have been obsessed with the Ukraine War — on the Ukrainian side — and was interviewed by the New York Times about his efforts to recruit volunteers to travel to Ukraine to fight against Russia in the war. He also reportedly had a Biden-Harris bumper sticker on a truck outside his home in Hawaii and appears to have donated to Democrats 19 times, FEC filings show.
“In addition, we’re going through media reports and public statements He made that he wanted to recruit Afghan soldiers and others to fight for Ukraine,” Veltri said.