WEST PALM BEACH, USA – Ryan Wesley Routh, the 58-year-old suspect in the apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, is set to make his initial court appearance on Monday, September 16, 2024, morning at a federal court in Florida, according to sources familiar with the case.
Routh, a self-employed affordable housing builder from Hawaii, was taken into custody on Sunday after law enforcement stopped him on a highway following the shooting incident near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
A long gun was recovered from the scene, and authorities suspect Routh intended to target Trump, who was playing a round of golf at the time.
Routh’s Social Media Activity Raises Questions
Routh, who has a history of posting political commentary on social media, had previously criticised Trump on his X account (formerly Twitter).
His posts revealed a shift from initially supporting Trump in the 2016 election to withdrawing that support, and in recent months, Routh had posted inflammatory comments about the former president.
In one post, he referenced a July assassination attempt on Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, urging President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to visit the injured.
“You and Biden should visit the injured people in the hospital from the Trump rally and attend the funeral of the murdered fireman. Trump will never do anything for them,” Routh wrote.
Routh’s social media posts also expressed strong support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, with Routh stating his willingness to fight and die in the conflict. He even used his Facebook account last year to attempt to recruit Afghan conscripts to fight for Ukraine.
Public records indicate that Routh has ties to North Carolina in addition to his business in Hawaii, where he built tiny homes for homeless residents.
In 2012, he registered as an unaffiliated voter in the state and voted in the Democratic primary earlier this year.
Records also show several legal and financial troubles in Routh’s past, including a federal tax lien and civil lawsuits related to unpaid debts.
Federal prosecutors have not announced the exact charges Routh will face. His court appearance on Monday is expected to shed more light on the charges and the investigation.
Former President Trump, who was unharmed in the incident, has since assured supporters of his safety, writing in a fundraising email, “I AM SAFE AND WELL!”.
Both President Biden and Vice President Harris were briefed on the incident and expressed relief that Trump had not been harmed.
