What we know about Trump’s assassination

Former President Donald Trump was taken to safety on Sunday after what the FBI called an apparent assassination attempt at Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach.

The incident comes almost exactly two months after a shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, left the Republican candidate injured and one of his supporters dead.

Details are still emerging from the latest incident and about the suspect, named in court as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58. Here’s what we know so far.

The incident occurred at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, about 15 minutes from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

The gunman was first seen by Secret Service agents who were scanning the golf course in front of the former president as he played. According to police, Secret Service agents often walk ahead of a hole to conduct security checks.

The barrel of the rifle — initially described by County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw as an AK-47-style rifle — was found protruding from bushes along the road. At the time, Trump was about 300-500 yards (275-460m) from the gunman, he said.

Sheriff Bradshaw said an agent “immediately engaged” the rifleman, who fled.

“The Secret Service did exactly what needed to be done.”

Agents opened fire upon spotting the gunman and fired four to five shots.

Sheriff Bradshaw said the suspect dropped the rifle and fled in a vehicle, leaving behind the weapon along with two backpacks, a scope used to aim a gun and a GoPro camera.

A witness saw the man fleeing from the bushes to a black Nissan, the sheriff said. The witness took photos of the vehicle and provided them to law enforcement.

The suspect was arrested by police while driving north on I-95 after crossing into Martin County, about 61km (38 miles) from Trump’s golf course.

BBC Verify found social media profiles matching Mr Routh, showing he had called on foreign fighters to come to Ukraine to fight against Russian forces and had spent some time in Ukraine since the Russian invasion.

In addition, his personal page also contained pro-Palestinian, pro-Taiwan and anti-China messages, including accusations of Chinese “biological warfare” and referring to the Covid-19 virus as an “attack”.

Mr. Routh, who has no military experience, told The New York Times in 2023 that he traveled to Ukraine shortly after Russia’s 2022 invasion to find recruits among Afghan soldiers who had fled the Taliban.

He appears to have been involved in recruitment efforts as recently as this summer, writing on Facebook in July: “Soldiers, please don’t call me. We are still trying to get Ukraine to accept Afghan soldiers and hope to have some answers in the coming months… please be patient.”

Court documents show Mr. Routh has two previous felony convictions.

In December 2002, he was convicted in Greensboro, North Carolina of possessing a weapon of mass destruction. According to media reports at the time, the weapon was a fully automatic machine gun.

In March 2010, he was convicted in North Carolina of multiple counts of possession of stolen goods.

When questioned by a judge in West Palm Beach federal court on Monday, Routh said he had “no money” in his bank account.

He said he had a monthly income of around $3,000 (£2,300). His only assets, he told the court, were two trucks in Hawaii, each worth around $1,000 (£760).

Trump was not injured in the incident.

Shortly after the incident was confirmed by his campaign, the Republican released a statement on his fundraising list that read: “There were gunshots fired near where I live, but before the rumors get out of hand, I want you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND HEALTHY.”

Trump recounted his story to Fox News host Sean Hannity, who recounted the episode on air Sunday.

“They’re on the fifth hole, they’re getting ready to go up and hit a shot,” Hannity said.

The former president heard “pop pop, pop pop,” he said. “Within seconds, the Secret Service was on the president.” [and] cover him.”

A reinforced vehicle quickly took Trump to safety, he added.

Trump supporters gathered around the former president’s estate in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, after the incident, as well as around the golf club where the investigation is taking place.

Some of them were photographed wearing MAGA (Make America Great Again) hats and waving banners, posters and American flags reading “America First.”

For his part, the former president has sought to blame President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris — his opponents in the November election — for the effort.

“Their words make me want to shoot, while I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones who are destroying the country – both inside and out,” Trump said.

The White House said Biden and Harris have been briefed on the incident.

“I am deeply concerned about the possible assassination attempt on former President Trump today,” Harris said in a statement.

Leaders of the bipartisan congressional task force formed to investigate the July 13 assassination in Pennsylvania said they were grateful the former president was unharmed, “but remain deeply concerned.”

The task force requested to be briefed by the Secret Service.

Routh appeared in court for a hearing that lasted less than 10 minutes on Monday.

It was not a trial – meaning he pleaded not guilty – but the charges against him were read out in court. They included possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with a concealed serial number.

He will appear in court next Monday.

Palm Beach County District Attorney Dave Aronberg told US media that Mr Routh could face “a long time in prison”. The charges against him carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The FBI is currently leading the investigation.

Rafael Barros of the Secret Service told reporters on Sunday that measures had been taken since the previous assassination attempt and that “the threat level is very high”.