Former United States president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump faced a second assassination attempt, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said after gunshots were heard outside a golf course in Florida where he was playing.
The incident took place at roughly around 1:30 pm local time when Secret Service agents spotted a person with AK-47 near the golf course. Agents opened fire at him.
The Trump Campaign headquarters, which is in the same campus, is under lockdown. “Officials believe the shots fired at Trump International Golf Club were intended for former President Donald Trump, according to sources familiar on the matter,” CNN reported.
The man who authorities say pointed a rifle with a scope into Trump’s golf club and was arrested is Ryan Wesley Routh, three law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.
The White House said both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been briefed about the incident.
“The President and Vice President have been briefed about the security incident at the Trump International Golf Course, where former President Trump was golfing. They are relieved to know that he is safe. They will be kept regularly updated by their team,” the White House said.
Meanwhile , In response to a shooting incident near his Florida golf course on Sunday, former United States President Donald Trump assured his supporters that he is “absolutely safe and well.”
“There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL! Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER!” said the former president.
Trump was the target of what the FBI said “appears to be an attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday, just nine weeks after the Republican presidential candidate survived another attempt on his life.
On July 13, Trump was shot during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and a bullet grazed his ear.
