Who Is Ryan Wesley Routh?
In a shocking incident on Sunday in Florida, former US President Donald Trump narrowly escaped an alleged assassination attempt. The FBI confirmed the arrest of 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, who was apprehended after Secret Service agents opened fire near the boundary of Trump’s golf course. A high-powered AK-47-style rifle with a scope and a GoPro camera was recovered from the scene. Routh reportedly fled in a black car after the agents opened fire but was later tracked down and arrested.
The Son Speaks Out
Oran Routh, the son of the suspect, described his father as passionate about the Ukraine cause. He stated that his father had traveled to Ukraine and volunteered to provide what he described as “humanitarian” aid to troops defending the country from Russian forces. “My dad went over there and saw people fighting and dying. He tried to make sure things were cool, but they were not,” Oran said during a brief telephone call.
Oran expressed frustration with Trump, who recently avoided answering whether he wanted Ukraine to win its war against Russia during a presidential debate. “Meanwhile, this guy’s sitting behind his desk, not doing a thing,” Oran said, referring to Trump.
Online Activity and Past Actions
Posts on X (formerly Twitter) associated with an account under Ryan Routh’s name show his deep commitment to the Ukraine cause. In August 2023, Routh wrote posts addressed to Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, expressing his desire to create a tent city for foreigners in Kyiv to garner more international support. He also suggested that the U.S. Congress should put all American military members on paid leave so they could fight as civilians in Ukraine. Additionally, a post from December expressed concern for Haiti amidst its violent civil unrest.
Ryan Routh’s past is marked by violent incidents. In 2002, he was arrested after barricading himself inside a building with a fully automatic weapon in Greensboro, North Carolina. While the charges were serious, the outcome of the case remains unclear.
Reactions and Statements
“President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity,” campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. Trump himself reassured his supporters, saying, “Fear not! I am safe and well, and no one was hurt. Thank God!”
Oran Routh, in an interview with CNN, called his father “a loving and caring father” and an “honest, hardworking man.” He expressed hope that the situation had been blown out of proportion, stating, “From the little I’ve heard, it doesn’t sound like the man I know to do anything crazy, much less violent.”
Political Views
Online records show Ryan Routh is registered to vote in North Carolina as a Democrat, although his social media activity suggests a mix of political views. He described voting for Trump in 2016 and expressed support for a White House ticket combining Republican candidates Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikki Haley.
The Incident
On Sunday, the suspect was reported to have put the muzzle of a rifle through a fence in a wooded area at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Trump was golfing there at the time. An agent spotted the rifle and fired, prompting the suspect to flee before he was arrested in a neighboring county.
This incident follows a recent assassination attempt on Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania, where a would-be assassin fired a bullet that grazed Trump’s ear. The suspect was subsequently shot dead by authorities.
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