For the second time in roughly two months, a man has seemingly made an assassination attempt on former President Donald J. Trump. The man didn’t fire any shots at Trump, so what charges does he face, and how serious are his crimes?
A Scary Day on the Golf Course
On September 15, 2024, former President and 2024 presidential candidate Donald J. Trump went out for a round of golf at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Palm Beach, Florida, where he also lives.
The round of golf was not unusual as Trump frequently uses the course. The typical protocol for his golf outings includes shutting down part of the course and using U.S. Secret Service agents to search and secure the holes ahead of him, according to Associated Press.
On that day, as agents were a few holes ahead of Trump, they noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle sticking through shrubbery along the side of the course. The identified gun was about 400 to 500 yards from Trump.
An agent fired four to six shots at the area where the gun was visible. The bullets did not hit the gunman, and he fled the scene. When agents approached the scene, they found the gun, two backpacks, a scope, and a GoPro camera.
No shots were fired by the gunman, and he was later apprehended by law enforcement officials in a neighboring Florida county. The man was identified at 58-year-old Ryan Routh.
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What Charges Does the Gunman Currently Face?
The incident comes after an assassination attempt on Trump that took place in July where the shooter fired shots, one that struck Trump. In that case, the shooter fired bullets that injured Trump and bystanders and killed a man attending the rally. The gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by the Secret Service.
In the more recent case, the gunman never fired shots, but he will still face serious criminal charges.
When Routh was arrested, he was immediately charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The two firearm charges carry a combined maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, per reporting by USA Today.
Routh is currently being held on the two initial charges, which don’t require a grand jury to approve the indictment. On September 23, Routh was ordered to remain in jail without bond pending trial on the charges.
Investigators will take time to build out additional charges because they will need to convince a grand jury to move forward with an indictment. It’s common for authorities to initially charge an individual with lesser crimes to detain them and keep them in jail while they build out a case that includes more serious charges.
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What Additional Charges Could the Gunman Face?
Routh could potentially face additional federal and state charges.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the state of Florida is conducting its own investigation and could charge Routh with attempted murder, per NPR reporting. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has said the FBI is investigating, and the evidence would likely lead to additional charges of an assassination attempt, per CNN reporting. The federal crime carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Both cases would need to have evidence to prove Routh was attempting to kill Trump. Because Routh didn’t have a sight line on Trump and didn’t fire any shots, they will need to find additional proof that Routh was at the golf course with the intention to kill Trump.
Investigators will likely look into Routh’s history of political activism, travel to other countries, and content posted on social media to build their case. His statements could be used to show his mindset and intention.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Ryon McCabe said there is also written evidence that Routh planned to “stalk” Trump during a roughly month-long period in south Florida “in an apparent attempt to assassinate him.” Prosecutors also said they have a letter written by Routh that referenced an “assassination attempt.”
It is likely that Routh will be indicted on the additional federal charges once it is presented to a grand jury.
Related: What Legal Cases Could Arise from the Attempted Assisination of Donald J. Trump?
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