09/23/2024

Suspect in Alleged Trump Assassination Attempt Outlined Plans in Note

The man repeatedly said he was willing to die to defend Ukraine

A 58-year-old man accused of trying to assassinate former president Donald Trump acknowledged in a pre-written note that he had planned the attack — and even predicted his failure, according to a federal court filing on Monday.

The man, Ryan Routh, staked out the grounds of Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Fla., for a month before the episode, the filing said. He positioned himself outside the fence at the sixth hole of the course on Sept. 15, before a Secret Service agent scouting one hole ahead of the former president's group spotted him and the barrel of his gun.

At the time he was seen, Routh had aligned himself directly to the sixth hole, with the alleged intention of shooting Trump from a relatively short distance with a semiautomatic rifle, prosecutors said. The rifle, equipped with a scope and left at the scene, had a bullet in the chamber and a total of 11 rounds. Investigators also found Routh’s fingerprint on the weapon.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The New York Times.