Authorities have released a video capturing the arrest of a suspect accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump. Watch the footage and learn more about the details surrounding this shocking event.
Ryan Wesley Routh, who purportedly intended to shoot US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, has been arrested and the body camera footage of his arrest by Martin County Sheriff’s office has been released.
On Sunday afternoon, Routh – aged 58 – was taken into custody as he had stationed himself amidst the foliage at Trump International Golf Club located in West Palm Beach. He was hoping to catch a glimpse of the ex-president; however, his plan failed when Secret Service agents detected him and opened fire.
Without incident, Routh was detained by deputies on a nearby highway.
Although just 18 seconds of the footage has been released, it depicts the deputies advising Routh to walk towards them while facing backwards. The accused person is seen with his hands raised and a tee-shirt covering his head.
Previously, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of Palm Beach County had released images showcasing Routh’s purported hiding place. In the photos, an assault rifle resembling AK-47 with a scope and a GoPro camera along with two backpacks that were loaded with ceramic tiles can be found attached to the fence in close proximity.
READ ALSO: Details Emerge on Latest Assassination Attempt on Donald Trump
During a press conference held on Monday, Markenzy Lapointe- the US Attorney representing Southern District of Florida disclosed that the rifle in question was an older model resembling “SKS-style” and its serial number had been wiped out.
Routh faces federal charges for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and owning a gun with an obscured serial number.
Routh’s criminal records, which were uncovered following his apprehension, indicate that he was found guilty of possessing a weapon classified as destructive in 2002. This firearm is reputed to have been an entirely automatic machine gun. Following a tense three-hour confrontation with law enforcement officials in North Carolina, Routh had been taken into custody.
Afterwards, he relocated to Hawaii and took an interest in current political matters. By 2022, his focus shifted towards supporting Ukraine during their conflict with Russia where he openly called for the assassination of Russian President Vladimir Putin while also raising funds for the Ukrainian military.
Routh expressed his views in a book he self-published in 2023, called “Ukraine’s Unwinnable War: The Fatal Flaw of Democracy, World Abandonment and the Global Citizen – Taiwan, Afghanistan, North Korea and the end of Humanity”. He also had hope for someone to assassinate Trump as he referred to him as “brainless” and a “retarded child.”
At a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13th, Trump had a close call with death. However, he expressed gratitude towards the Secret Service for carrying out their duties and placed blame on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ language as responsible for Routh’s radicalization in his statement released on Monday.
