The alleged would-be assassin of former President Donald Trump reportedly set up and hid inside a sniper’s nest at the scene for nearly 12 hours before he was noticed early Sunday afternoon.
Federal prosecutors said Monday the suspect, identified as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, concealed himself there for almost 12 hours prior to the incident, the New York Post reported:
“Routh’s cell phone pinged to the spot on the edge of Trump International West Palm Beach starting from 1:59 a.m. on Sunday, the federal criminal complaint said,” the article noted. “His gun barrel was spotted by a Secret Service agent about 1:30 p.m. — while Trump was on the links 300-500 yards away.”
Agents later found a digital camera, some bags, and a loaded SKS-style rifle in his hiding place. Not long after Secret Service agents fired at the suspect, he fled the scene in a car that reportedly had stolen license plates. However, he was eventually nabbed on I-95.
The second apparent assassination attempt happened while Trump was playing golf on his course. The first attempt occurred during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July while Trump was speaking to the crowd. A bullet struck his right ear and left his face bloodied.
In federal court on Monday, Routh was charged with felony possession of a firearm, Breitbart News reported:
ABC 11 reported “prosecutors levied two charges against him: possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.”
The felony stems from an incident in which Routh allegedly barricaded himself and had a standoff with police in 2002. 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.”
On Sunday in response to the second attempt on his life, Trump thanked people concerned about him and also thanked law enforcement authorities, according to Breitbart News.
“I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes — It was certainly an interesting day!” he wrote on Truth Social.
“Most importantly, I want to thank the U.S. Secret Service, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and his Office of brave and dedicated Patriots, and, all of Law Enforcement, for the incredible job done today at Trump International in keeping me, as the 45th President of the United States, and the Republican Nominee in the upcoming Presidential Election, SAFE,” he added.