US Presidential nominee Donald Trump on Sunday narrowly escaped an assassination attempt during his election rally in Florida. A miscreant was nabbed for allegedly orchestrating a shooting near the boundary of Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach. A powered AK-47-style rifle with a scope and a GoPro camera was recovered from the scene.
The 58-year-old suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, fled in his car after Secret Service agents opened fire at him. He was traced after eyewitnesses helped police identify his car. The police said he was the probable suspect.
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Who Is Ryan Wesley Routh?
As per the New York Times, Routh is a former construction worker from North Carolina Greensboro. He has in past expressed the desire to participate in armed conflicts, especially the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. In an X post, he had expressed to ‘fight and die’ in Ukraine.
"I AM WILLING TO FLY TO KRAKOW AND GO TO THE BORDER OF UKRAINE TO VOLUNTEER AND FIGHT AND DIE," he wrote.
He also sought the civilians must change the war course. "Civilians must change this war and prevent future wars," he wrote in his bio on the messaging application Signal, as per the NYT.
"Each one of us must do our part daily in the smallest steps to help support human rights, freedom and democracy; we each must help the Chinese," says his WhatsApp bio.
Routh claimed in an interview with the NYT that he visited Ukraine to support war and recruit Afghan soldiers.
Besides, in 2002, he was arrested after barricading himself in a building with a fully automatic weapon in Greensboro. Although the charges were serious, the progress of the case is still unclear.
Trump's reaction on assassination bid
The former US President told his supporters that he was absolutely safe and well while divulging the details of the incident. "There were gunshots in my vicinity, but I want you to hear this from me first: I AM SAFE AND WELL! Before rumours get out of hand, know that I am okay," he said in a fundraising email.
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He also said he would not surrender before such force. "Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER! I will always appreciate your support," he added.