Less than seven weeks to the presidential election in the United States of America, former US President and Republican Party candidate, Donald Trump, has survived two assassination plots against his life.
Another attempt was made on Trump’s life on Sunday at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, happening barely nine weeks after he survived a near-death experience during his campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
Unlike the first attempt, which led to the death of the assailant, law enforcement officials, who confirmed that it “appears to be an attempted assassination,” disclosed that a man identified as Ryan Wesley Routh had been taken into custody over the incident.
According to reports, “U.S. Secret Service agents stationed a few holes up from where Trump was playing noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle sticking through the shrubbery that lines the course, roughly 400 yards away.”
It was gathered that an agent fired, and the gunman dropped the rifle and fled in an SUV, leaving the firearm behind along with two backpacks, a scope used for aiming, and a GoPro camera.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff, Ric Bradshaw, added that the man, Routh, was later apprehended by law enforcement in a neighbouring county after he had escaped from the scene.
Though Trump declared that he was safe, many commentators had described the 2024 election as one of the most turbulent polls in the history of America, following the sequence of events since the former President declared his intention to run again.
For the record, Trump was shot in the ear by the late Thomas Matthew Crooks on July 13 during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, while President Joe Biden abruptly withdrew from the race to pave the way for his Vice President, Kamala Harris.
Describing the dilemma facing American voters in the November 5 poll, Roman Catholic Pope Francis mentioned that the people are faced with a tragedy of choosing between two evils.
Pope Francis said this on Friday during an interview with CBS News while returning from a marathon Asia trip, affirming that the two leading candidates are “against life.”
The Papacy criticised Trump’s stance to deport 11 million migrants and Harris’ support for abortion, saying, “They are both against life — the one who throws away migrants and the one who kills children.”
Following the failed murder attempt, Trump assured his supporters in a message of his safety, recounting that “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumours start spiralling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I am safe and well.”
Revealing that it was “certainly an interesting day,” the former President, in a message later posted on social media, thanked the Secret Service and law enforcement for keeping him safe, calling them “brave and dedicated Patriots.”
While his Democratic opponent in the poll and incumbent Vice President, Harris, revealed on her X that she had been briefed on the incident, saying, “I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America.”
There are speculations that the incident and previous ones would no doubt mount a lot of tension and might lead to changes in the plans of the activities lined up by the Republican Party and its candidate.
Trump, however, has not announced any changes to his schedule and is still prepared to scale up the frenzy live on X tonight from his Mar-a-Lago Resort, where he will be launching his sons’ crypto platform.
Meanwhile, he had announced on Thursday his plans to launch his new cryptocurrency project, World Liberty Financial, this evening, pursuing his plans to give financial freedom to the people and a vision to make America the headquarters of global Bitcoin mining.
Reports showed that Routh, 58, lived in North Carolina for most of his life until 2018 before moving to Kaaawa, Hawaii, where he and his son operated a company building sheds.
He frequently posted on social media about the war in Ukraine and had a website where he sought to raise money and recruit volunteers to go to Kyiv to join the fight against the Russian invasion.
The suspect, in June 2020, was said to have made a post on X stating that Trump would win reelection if he issued an executive order for the Justice Department to prosecute police misconduct, also showing other supportive affiliations.
However, his recent posts suggested he had a sour relationship with Trump, and he expressed support for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Also, voter records and profiling show he registered as an unaffiliated voter in North Carolina in 2012, most recently voting in person during the state’s Democratic Party primary in March 2024.
Federal campaign finance records show Routh made 19 small political donations totaling $140 since 2019 using his Hawaii address to ActBlue, a political action committee that supports Democratic candidates.
More security checks on him revealed that while living in Greensboro, North Carolina, Routh had multiple run-ins with law enforcement. According to online North Carolina Department of Adult Correction records, he was convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction.
Though records do not provide details about the case, a News & Record story from 2002 says a man with the same name was arrested after a three-hour standoff with police.
The story added that he was pulled over during a traffic stop, put his hand on a gun, and barricaded himself inside a roofing business. As affirmed in state incorporation filings, he owned the roofing company.
Determined to rid America of violence and crime, the leaders of a congressional bipartisan task force investigating the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump had requested a briefing from the Secret Service.
“We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms,” Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., said, pledging to make findings public.
While U.S. Florida Democrat Rep. Jared Moskowitz, who is also part of the task force, said he “will seek answers about what happened today and then.”
