Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, has been charged with attempting to kill former President Donald Trump outside his south Florida golf course. Routh was indicted on five counts including attempted assassination, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Prosecutors allege Routh left a note addressed to “Dear World” where he expressed his intent to kill Trump and offered $150,000 to anyone who could complete the job. They believe Routh staked out the golf course for a month before the alleged attempt on Trump’s life, hiding outside the fence near the sixth hole.
On the day of the alleged assassination attempt, a US Secret Service agent on site saw the barrel of a rifle aimed directly at him. The agent fired at Routh after seeing the rifle barrel move, forcing Routh to flee in his Nissan SUV before being caught on I-95.
Authorities found a semi-automatic rifle, fitted with a scope, with a bullet in the chamber and 11 more in the gun that Routh had left behind. They also found a handwritten list of dates and venues where Trump had appeared or was expected to be present, as well as six mobile phones, one of which had a Google search for travel from Palm Beach to Mexico City.
Routh has a history of run-ins with the law, including convictions for possession of a fully automatic machine gun and possession of stolen goods. The Department of Justice is taking this case very seriously, as violence targeting public officials endangers democracy.
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