The suspect in the attempted assassination of Donald Trump is set to appear in court on Monday to defend against five federal charges. On September 15, a man allegedly set up a sniper rifle outside the former President Trump’s golf course in Florida in an attempt to assassinate him, leading to his indictment.
Ryan Routh, 58, is expected to plead not guilty to charges including attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate. He is currently held in jail awaiting trial per court order.
Prosecutors allege that on September 15, Routh planned to kill Trump while he was playing golf at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
According to court documents submitted by prosecutors, Routh, a struggling roofing contractor, had criticized the Republican presidential candidate in a self-published book and had left a letter months ago to a partner referring to another unsuccessful attempt on Trump’s life.
The letter from the suspect reportedly stated, “I was going to assassinate Donald Trump, but I failed you.”
There are currently no detailed reports about the suspect’s accomplice.
During a court hearing on September 23, Routh’s lawyers suggested that the letter may have been a ploy to gain public attention. They also emphasized that Routh is actively advocating for democracy in Ukraine and Taiwan.
Prosecutors claim that Routh hid outside the fence, overlooking the sixth hole of the golf course, where authorities found an AK-47-style rifle, a bag of snacks, a digital camera, and a bag containing metal plates meant to withstand retaliation from the U.S. Secret Service.
A Secret Service agent patrolling the golf course spotted the rifle protruding from the fence and fired shots. Prosecutors state that Routh fled and was later apprehended on a highway in Florida.
Initially charged with gun-related offenses, Routh now faces added charges of attempted assassination, assaulting federal officers, and possessing firearms for further violent acts in the latest indictment. This marks the second apparent assassination attempt on Trump in approximately two months.
The events have raised questions about the security measures for candidates leading up to the November 5 election. On July 13, at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a gunman wounded Trump’s right ear and killed a attendee before being shot by a Secret Service sniper.
Trump has made the assassination attempts a campaign issue, claiming that the Department of Justice cannot be trusted to investigate and handle these incidents.
【This article is adapted from reports by Reuters】