Gunman In Failed Trump Assassination Attempt Indicted On New Charges
A man accused of plotting to kill former U.S. President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course has been indicted on three additional charges, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on Tuesday.
Ryan Routh, 58, was arrested on September 15 after Secret Service agents spotted him with a firearm near Trump’s golf course, where the former president was playing. Initially charged with two gun-related offenses, Routh now faces new charges brought by a federal grand jury in Miami.
The new indictment includes charges of attempted assassination, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and assault on a federal officer. Court documents reveal that the case has been assigned to Federal Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee who previously halted criminal proceedings against Trump in a separate case involving classified documents.
According to the Justice Department, Routh’s firearm was discovered by a Secret Service agent while conducting a security sweep during Trump’s golf game. The agent opened fire, and Routh fled the scene but was later apprehended.
An FBI analysis of Routh’s phone data showed that he had been in Florida since August 18, and his devices had been located near Trump’s golf course and his Mar-a-Lago residence multiple times leading up to the incident on September 15. Prosecutors also revealed that Routh had spent nearly 12 hours in the vicinity of the golf club before being detected by the Secret Service.
Routh remains in custody after a federal judge ruled against his release on Monday.
This is the second assassination attempt on Trump this year. On July 13, during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a gunman opened fire, killing one person and wounding Trump in the ear. Trump was otherwise unharmed, and the gunman was killed at the scene. Authorities believe the two incidents are unrelated.
Following the golf course incident, Trump criticized the Department of Justice and FBI for their handling of the case, describing the initial charges against Routh as “a slap on the wrist” in a statement released earlier this week. Trump called for the case to be handed over to Florida state authorities, led by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who had earlier indicated the state would conduct its own investigation and seek harsher penalties.
The Department of Justice has not commented further on the investigation, but the new charges signal a significant escalation in the case.
