The evidence was discovered after the suspect fled the scene, where he had been targeting Trump during a golf outing at Trump International Club in West Palm Beach.
During a press conference on Sunday, authorities provided details of the incident. The FBI is investigating this as a second assassination attempt on Trump within two months. The former president was swiftly moved to safety after multiple shots were fired in his vicinity while he was playing golf.
The suspect, identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, a registered Democrat, was apprehended following the alarming event.
Reports indicate that Routh, a construction worker with a criminal history, left behind an AK-47-style rifle, ceramic body armor plates, and other items as he fled. A witness photographed Routh’s black Nissan SUV and license plate as he escaped.
Routh has a criminal record in North Carolina, including charges related to weapon violations and terrorist threats. Additionally, a 2022 interview with News Week Romania surfaced, where Routh discussed his involvement in recruiting fighters for Ukraine.
Secret Service agents detected the threat when they spotted the rifle barrel protruding from the bushes behind a fence, prompting them to act.
Special Agent Rafael Barros confirmed that the Secret Service had heightened security measures in response to the increased threat level following the earlier attempt on Trump’s life.
Sheriff Ric Bradshaw highlighted that the suspect was armed with an AK-47-style weapon equipped with a scope, which was recovered at the scene, along with the backpack and GoPro camera.
The suspect was positioned in a vulnerable area of the golf course, close to the road, and was initially detected two holes ahead of Trump’s location.
