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PremiumTrump Assassination Live Updates: Former United States President and Republican nominee for the 2024 US elections, Donald Trump has survived a second assassination attempt after shots were fired near the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida on September 15, 2024, reports said.
This shooting incident comes just months ahead of the November 2024 US presidential elections and only two months after Trump was first shot at during an election rally. The AP reported that US Secret Service agents opened fire after seeing a person with a firearm near the golf course on Sunday.
An AK-style firearm was recovered near the golf course, the AP reported.
Spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi in a statement on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), said that the Secret Service is investigating “a protective incident involving Trump" which happened shortly before 2 pm on September 15.
Trump Safe
In a fundraising email, Trump assured his supporters and addressed the situation, stating, “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but I want you to hear this from me first: I AM SAFE AND WELL! Before rumours get out of hand, know that I am okay. Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER! I will always appreciate your support."
Trump’s campaign communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement that the 2024 Republican presidential nominee “is safe following gunshots in his vicinity" and didn’t provide further details.
Shooter Identified as Ryan Routh
The suspect of the shooting has been identified as Ryan Wesley Routh. He has been arrested by officials and the attack is under investigation, AP reported citing officials.
Routh reportedly dropped his weapon and fled in an SUV and was later taken into custody in a neighbouring county, authorities told AP. His motive is unclear.
Local authorities said the gunman had two backpacks hanging on a fence and a GoPro camera.
Routh was convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction, according to North Carolina Department of Adult Correction online records.
Stay tuned with Livemint for all the latest news, developments, and updates on Trump's shooting incident.
In a post on his own social media platform Truth Social, Donald Trump thanked the US Secret Service and other law enforcement officials for keeping him safe during the assassination attempt.
“THE JOB DONE WAS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING. I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes — It was certainly an interesting day! Most importantly, I want to thank the US Secret Service, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and his Office of brave and dedicated patriots, and, all of the 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 wrote.
Donald Trump's son Eric Trump expressed shock over the second assassination attempt on his father. “My father is running out of lives here," Eric Trump told Sean Hannity of Fox News.
UK paper The Guardian quoted him asking, “How many more rifles are going to come within assassination distance of my father? Somebody let him down — as his son I’m not very happy about it. In the west, you can’t have leaders assassinated."
Eric was further quoted highlighting the flaws of the Secret Service, stating that “it was a failure", even though “$3 billion" was spent behind it. “Those 48 hours could have been very different. He’s doing great, he’s out campaigning," Eric told The Guardian.
A US Secret Service spokesperson told UK paper the Guardian that "we live in dangerous times".
Despite serious questions being raised about the competence of the Secret Service, given two close assassination attacks against Donald Trump in two months, this incidence appears to paint the agency in a much rosier light, the Guardian report said.
After the attempted assassination in Pennsylvania in July, then Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle resigned. But this time, they "did exactly what they were supposed to do, and their agent did a fantastic job," according to Ric Bradshaw, Sheriff of West Palm Beach police., the report added.
With this being the second time in two months that a gunman reached within shooting distance of Donald Trump, a US Presidential nominee, the Secret Services’ broader ability to provide protection has come under question, the New York Times reported.
The Secret Service is a federal law enforcement agency tasked with protecting political leaders in the poll-bound nation.
Michael Matranga, a former Secret Service agent who protected former President Barack Obama, called the attacks on Trump ‘unprecedented’ and told the NYT that the agency should think about assigning Trump the same security apparatus as a US president.
Reacting to the shooting incident, Donald Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., took to X to share a statement confirming his father's safety and updating followers on the incident.
“Again folks! SHOTS FIRED at Trump Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida. An AK-47 was discovered in the bushes, per local law enforcement. The Trump campaign has released a statement confirming former President Trump is safe. A suspect has reportedly been apprehended," he wrote.
JD Vance has reacted to the second assassination attempt against Donald Trump on X, saying the former US president was “amazingly in good spirits".
Vance is Trump's campaign running mate and future vice president if they win the US elections in November.
“I'm glad President Trump is safe. I spoke to him before the news was public and he was, amazingly, in good spirits. Still much we don't know, but I'll be hugging my kids extra tight tonight and saying a prayer of gratitude," he wrote.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced that it “is investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination," as reported by CNN.
Ric Bradshaw, Sheriff of the West Palm Beach police at a press conference said that Secret Service fired shots around 1:30 pm (EST) on September 15 and arrested the suspect, who was reportedly between 300 and 500 yards from Trump, the CNN report added.
Indian American conservative politician Vivek Ramaswamy reacted to the news of a second shooting incident involving Donald Trump, the former United States President and current Republican Party nominee.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), he wrote, “Yes, we are grateful that President Trump is safe, once again. But this growing pattern of political violence needs to STOP right now. It is unacceptable and un-American. I’m calling on Secret Service to IMMEDIATELY step up its protection for President Trump to the *same* level they provide to Biden, there’s no excuse not to at this point. But there’s also a deeper sickness in our country that we need to cure. America is skating on thin ice, and I thank God we’ve now averted tragedy twice this summer. We can only hope that the two assassination attempts on President Trump already will be the worst things that happen this election cycle."
Florida Governor and Republican politician Ron DeSantis in a post on X (formerly Twitter), said that the state would conduct its own independent investigation into the incident.
“The State of Florida will be conducting its own investigation regarding the attempted assassination at Trump International Golf Club. The people deserve the truth about the would be assassin and how he was able to get within 500 yards of the former president and current GOP nominee," he wrote.
Reacting to the news of a second assassination attempt against Donald Trump, billionaire supporter Elon Musk took to his social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), to question the “no" assassination attempts on political opponents Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
“And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala 🤔" he wrote.
US President Joe Biden reacted to the shooting incident involving Donald Trump on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I have been briefed by my team regarding what federal law enforcement is investigating as a possible assassination attempt of former President Trump today. A suspect is in custody, and I commend the work of the Secret Service and their law enforcement partners for their vigilance and their efforts to keep the former President and those around him safe."
He added, “I am relieved that the former President is unharmed. There is an active investigation into this incident as law enforcement gathers more details about what happened. As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country, and I have directed my team to continue to ensure that Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former President’s continued safety."
US Vice President and Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris took to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), to react to the shooting incident involding political rival Donald Trump.
“I have been briefed on reports of gunshots fired near former President Trump and his property in Florida, and I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America," she wrote.
This shooting incident comes just months ahead of the November 2024 US presidential elections and only two months after Trump was first shot at and wounded in the ear during an outdoor election rally Butler, Pennsylvania.
One attendee was killed and two were injured in the July 13 security breakdown. A sniper protecting Trump at the rally then killed the shooter, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20.
The suspect of the shooting has been identified as Ryan Wesley Routh. He has been arrested by officials and the attack is under investigation, AP reported citing officials.
Routh reportedly dropped his weapon and fled in an SUV and was later taken into custody in a neighbouring county, authorities told AP. His motive is unclear.
Local authorities said the gunman had two backpacks hanging on a fence and a GoPro camera.
Routh was convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction, according to North Carolina Department of Adult Correction online records.
The AP reported that US Secret Service agents opened fire after seeing a person with a firearm near the golf course on Sunday.
The firearm was identified as an AK-style one and was recovered near the golf course, the report added.
Spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi in a statement on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), said that the Secret Service is investigating “a protective incident involving Trump" which happened shortly before 2 pm on September 15.
Following news of a shooting near his Florida golf course on September 15, Donald Trump, in a fundraising email, assured his supporters and addressed the situation.
“There were gunshots in my vicinity, but I want you to hear this from me first: I AM SAFE AND WELL! Before rumours get out of hand, know that I am okay. Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER! I will always appreciate your support," he stated.
Former US President and Republican nominee for the 2024 US elections, Donald Trump has survived a second assassination attempt after shots were fired near the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida on September 15, 2024, reports said.
