(L, Facebook) Ryan Wesley Routh (R, Arrest on I-95 In Martin County, Florida) Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspected would-be Trump assassin, made his i
Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspected would-be Trump assassin, made his initial appearance in federal court Monday, facing charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison for the first charge and an additional 5 years for the second.
During the brief hearing, Routh provided basic information about his employment and financial situation, stating he earns around $3,000 per month but has no savings or significant assets.
Read: US House Speaker Mike Johnson Demands ‘Accountability’ After 2nd Trump Assassination Attempt
A bond hearing is scheduled for September 23rd, followed by either a probable cause hearing or arraignment on September 30th, contingent upon the government securing an indictment.
At approximately 2 p.m. local time Sunday, Trump was playing golf at his West Palm Beach resort with his friend, Republican megadonor Steve Witkoff, when gunshots were heard. Trump was moving between the fifth and sixth holes when the course was placed on lockdown.
According to law enforcement, a Secret Service agent saw what appeared to be a gun barrel protruding from some bushes near the course. Multiple officers fired at least four rounds at the suspect, though it remains unclear whether the suspect fired back.
Read: What We Know About Suspected Would-Be Trump Assassin Ryan Wesley Routh In Florida
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw confirmed that a witness had photographed the suspect’s car and provided the license plate to authorities. The suspect, who fled in a black Nissan, was apprehended shortly after in Martin County.
A semi-automatic rifle was found near the scene, along with two backpacks containing ceramic tiles and a GoPro camera, leading investigators to believe the gunman intended to record the assassination attempt.
Sheriff Bradshaw said Trump was approximately 400-500 yards from the suspect, a distance well within the range of the weapon and scope the suspect was carrying. After the incident, Trump returned to Mar-a-Lago.
The suspect was quickly identified as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh. According to media reports, Routh previously lived in North Carolina and moved to Kaaawa, Hawaii, in 2018, where he and his son ran a business building sheds.
Routh gained attention in 2023 when he was interviewed by The New York Times about his efforts to recruit Afghan soldiers to fight in Ukraine following Russia’s 2022 invasion.
In past social media posts, Routh expressed mixed political views. He indicated that he had voted for Trump in 2016 but had since become disillusioned with him, instead showing support for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. After the July assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania, Routh had urged Biden and Harris to visit the wounded and attend the funeral of a firefighter killed during the rally.
Routh’s son, Oran, told CNN that he hopes the situation has “just been blown out of proportion,” describing his father as a “loving and caring” man who would never engage in violent acts.
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