Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, the suspected gunman in what appears to be a second attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, has been charged with federal gun crimes.
Routh appeared in federal court in West Palm Beach on Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ryon McCabe, according to court records. He faces charges for possessing a firearm despite being a convicted felon and for having a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Routh is alleged to have pushed the muzzle of a rifle through the perimeter of Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach on Sunday while the former president was on the course, prompting a Secret Service agent to fire. Routh then reportedly fled the scene, leaving behind two bags, a loaded rifle with a scope, and other items, as detailed in an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Mark Thomas. When law enforcement stopped him on I-95 in a neighboring county, Routh acknowledged knowing why he was being stopped, the affidavit states.
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Further investigation revealed that Routh’s cell phone was found near the golf course tree line, where he is believed to have taken aim for approximately 12 hours before the incident, and left shortly after the event.
Prosecutors are seeking to detain Routh until his trial, with him remaining in custody until at least next Monday, when a detention hearing is scheduled. The Hill has reached out for comments from Routh’s public defender and federal prosecutors in the Southern District of Florida.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump thanked law enforcement for their “incredible job” in keeping him safe. The FBI is treating the incident as an apparent assassination attempt, marking the second attempt on Trump’s life this year. In July, a lone shooter targeted Trump at an outdoor campaign rally in Pennsylvania, injuring him with a shot to the ear, though he was otherwise unharmed. A rallygoer was killed in that incident.
Routh faces a combined maximum of 20 years in prison for the two charges, though additional and more serious charges are possible as investigations continue. Federal prosecutors have yet to seek an indictment from a grand jury. Routh’s arraignment is scheduled for September 30.
The felon-in-possession charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, with a mandatory 15-year minimum if the defendant has three prior violent felony convictions. Routh has multiple past convictions in North Carolina. The second charge carries a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
In court, Routh appeared shackled and in a blue jumpsuit, with a public defender by his side, according to The Associated Press.
