The man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump made his initial federal court appearance on Monday, September 16, facing multiple felony charges related to the incident.
Ryan Wesley Routh, who was apprehended in West Palm Beach, Florida, was photographed smiling after his arrest. The 58-year-old is alleged to have aimed an AK-47 at the former president through a fence while Trump was golfing at Trump International Golf Club on Sunday.
Despite the close call, Trump, 78, was unharmed and quickly secured by the Secret Service. This incident occurred less than two months after Trump was shot in the ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Routh appeared in the Paul G. Rogers Federal Courthouse on Monday morning. The brief hearing resulted in charges for two offenses: possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He faces up to 20 years in prison for these charges.
Court documents reveal that Routh had been positioned outside the golf course for nearly 12 hours before the attempted shooting, with his cell phone tracked in the area from 1:59 a.m. to 1:31 p.m. This indicates he may have been monitoring the location in advance.
Routh’s arraignment is scheduled for two weeks from now. Secret Service agents fired at Routh after noticing the muzzle of his AK-47 through the fence while Trump was on the course. Routh was arrested in Martin County, about 50 miles from the golf course.
During the hearing, Routh provided routine information about his financial situation, stating he earns approximately $3,000 per month with no significant assets, except for two trucks in Hawaii worth about $1,000 each.
Martin County Sheriff Will Snyder addressed questions about potential conspiracies, expressing concern over how Routh, a non-local, could have reached the golf course with a rifle. Snyder emphasized the seriousness of the situation, noting that if Routh is part of a larger conspiracy, it could have even more grave implications.
