Suspect in Alleged Trump Assassination Attempt Hid for Nearly 12 Hours Before Incident: Docs

Mar. 15, 2025

Ryan Wesley Routh

The incident occurred when the agent, walking a perimeter around the course as the former president golfed, allegedly spotted a rifle sticking out of a treeline. The agent then fired shots toward the rifle, the complaint states.

Routh was arrested after officers from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop, according to the complaint.

At the treeline where the initial encounter occurred, authorities found a scoped rifle, a digital camera, two bags, a backpack and a plastic bag containing food, the complaint alleges.

Routh made an initial court appearance on Monday, Sept. 16 and is scheduled for a detention hearing on Sept. 23, prosecutors said.

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A former North Carolina resident, Routh is a convicted felon. In addition to more recent convictions for possessing stolen goods, North Carolina criminal records indicate that Routh was convicted of possession of a weapon of mass destruction in 2002.

TheNews & Recordreported at the time that Routh had barricaded himself with a rifle following a standoff with police.

The incident at Trump’s golf club marks the second time the former president has been the target of an attempted assassination in the last few months. In July, aman fired several shots during a campaign rallyin western Pennsylvania.One person was killed.

Trump’s ear was bloodied during the incident but he was otherwise unharmed.

source: people.com