Moments before the attack: What Donald Trump was doing during second assassination attempt
Former President Trump was on the golf course during the second assassination attempt when his security engaged the suspect.
A second assassination attempt was made on former president Donald Trump on Sunday, September 15. Trump was enjoying a game of golf at the club in Palm Beach, Florida when the alleged shots were fired. Multiple shots were fired at the former president which alerted the Secret Service agents who were also present with him at the time of the incident. He was rushed to safety and an hour later Trump released a statement that he was “safe” and “well”.
What was Trump exactly doing during the attack?
At the time of the attack, Trump was on the golf course between holes five and six, along with his security detail. Security team was ahead of Trump, standing several holes apart, when they got engaged with the suspect and the shots were fired. The former president’s security that comprises of Secret Service agents who walk ahead to foresee any approaching threat as well as behind him to have his back.
Trump was with Steve Witkoff at the time of attack
According to CNN, Trump was playing gold with real estate investor, Steve Witkoff. He is one of the mega-donors and ally of the former president. Both of them were immediately rushed to a safe location in a golf cart where they were reportedly put under a lockdown. The reports suggested that the team moving ahead of Trump was the one who got tangled with the assassin, identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, an individual from Hawaii.
The would-be assassin was stationed near the chain-link fence and the shots were fired between 300-500 yards from where Trump was standing on the course. Suspect used an AK-47 rifle which was later discovered by the investigators .
Was there an exchange of fires?
The security team walking five or six holes ahead of Trump on the 18 holes golf course engaged and fired at the suspect first as a protective measure. However, it is unclear if there was an exchange of fires during the assassination attempt. It is confirmed that the Secret Service agents did release a round of fire at the suspect, as reported by CNN. The agents were ahead of the former president but still very much in the vicinity of him. Two hours after the attack, the FBI released a statement where they declared that it was like an assassination attempt on the 45th president of the US.
The suspect was later arrested with a backpack, a GoPro camera and an AK-47 rifle from which the shots were fired. Ryan appeared ‘relatively calm’ and emotionless post-arrest on Sunday.
