On Tuesday, September 24, a man suspected of attempting to assassinate former President Trump at a golf course in Florida has been charged with three counts, including attempted assassination, by federal prosecutors. The 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh had been stalking Trump for over a month prior to the incident.
Routh, who had previously faced two gun-related charges, was found with a firearm aiming at Trump through a fence while Trump was playing golf at the West Palm Beach golf club in Florida on September 15. Routh had been surveilling outside the golf course for 12 hours on that day.
He has been ordered to remain in jail pending trial. The Department of Justice emphasized that they will not tolerate violent acts that threaten the core of democracy and will hold the wrongdoers accountable, as stated by Attorney General Merrick Garland in a released statement.
According to the Department of Justice, a federal grand jury in Miami issued the indictment late Tuesday afternoon. The maximum penalty for the charge of attempted assassination is life imprisonment.
Routh, initially facing two federal gun charges, is now facing five charges, reflecting the Justice Department’s assessment that Routh had meticulously planned to murder Trump. On the day Trump was playing at the West Palm Beach golf course, Routh was seen aiming with a rifle from the bushes. Prosecutors revealed that Routh left a note describing his assassination intent.
Additional charges against Routh include possessing a firearm to commit violent crimes and assaulting federal officers.
The case is being handled by U.S. District Judge Irene Cannon, who in July dismissed a criminal case involving classified documents post-Trump’s presidency.
Routh has not yet entered a plea. His lawyer has been unsuccessful in securing bail for him, and he is scheduled for a hearing next Monday.
“An attempt to assassinate a former president is abhorrent behavior,” Garland expressed during a press conference announcing an antitrust lawsuit against Visa. “I am relieved that he is safe, and as I immediately stated after the event, the Department of Justice will spare no effort to ensure accountability.”
Prosecutors have recently disclosed evidence of Routh’s plan to assassinate Trump. They claim that months before the incident, Routh sent a letter to an unidentified individual hinting at “assassinating Donald Trump.”
According to prosecutors, Routh had been in South Florida for over a month, with phone records indicating his activity around the golf course and Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Court documents revealed a handwritten list found on him, which listed dates and locations of Trump’s speeches or anticipated events.
Prosecutors stated that a Secret Service agent at the golf course where Trump was playing had observed a gun protruding from the fence beforehand and fired shots, causing Routh to flee. He was apprehended on a Florida highway within an hour.
Two months ago, Trump was injured in the ear during an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The Secret Service acknowledged negligence before the shooting incident but affirmed that security measures played a vital role in preventing a potential attack in Florida.