How Donald Trump Escaped Another Assassination Attempt While Golfing on Sunday

By: Abdulwasiu Akintunde, Olufemi Orunsola 

Roughly two months after Trump’s ear was grazed by a bullet in an assassination attempt during a rally at Pennsylvania, the former US president has again escaped another assassination attempt while golfing at his course in West Palm Beach, Fla, on Sunday.

OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News gathered from credible international news sources that a man has been arrested on Sunday after attempting to assassinate former President, Trump as he golfed at his course in West Palm Beach, Fla., but Law Enforcement have said Trump was unharmed in the second attempt on his life in two months.

OTN News further reports that the FBI has described the incident as “an apparent assassination attempt.” Although, the arrested suspect, simply identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, has been taken into custody, by the law enforcement sources disclosed that a motive behind Routh involvement in the crime has not yet been determined.

OTN News gathreed that the latest assassination incident unfolded around 1:30pm, EDT on Sunday at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. 

A Secret Service agent scoping out the area one or two holes ahead of Trump saw the muzzle of an AK-47-style weapon pointing out of the treeline on the perimeter of the course, Palm Beach County, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said during a news briefing. 

The weapon had a scope on it, and the former President was 300 to 500 yards away.

According to Bradshaw, "With a rifle and a scope like that, that’s not a long distance,” therefore praising the agent’s dusplay of expertise and intelligence precision.

Bradshaw further revealed that, “The golf course is surrounded by shrubbery, noting that When someone gets into the shrubbery, they’re pretty much out of sight."

Describing what happened at the scene of the obviously organized attempted assassination incident, the special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Miami field office, Rafael Barros, explained that agents opened fire and it was unclear whether the man with the weapon was able to take a shot before fleeing. 

The golf course was locked down and the President was quickly whisked to safety before eventually being taken to his Palm Beach home after law enforcement determined there was no ongoing threat.

Meanwhile, Bradshaw confirmed to the police that a person had said he saw a man running out of the shrubbery and jumping into a black Nissan.

"This person took a picture of the vehicle and the license plate, which law enforcement was able to use to quickly track it down in Martin County, north of Palm Beach County."

"However, the witness was flown up to the area and confirmed that the man taken into custody was the man he had seen running out of the shrubbery," Bradshaw said. 

Meanwhile, law enforcement at the golf course recovered an AK-47-style rifle with a scope, two backpacks with ceramic tile inside and a GoPro camera that could be used to record or stream an attack.

Photos show an AK-47-style rifle, a backpack and a GoPro camera on a fence outside Trump International golf club. Photograph: Stephany Matat/AP

Bradshaw further noted that when a sitting president visits a golf course, the perimeter of the area would be closely monitored. With Trump, a bubble of Secret Service agents provides protection in front of and behind him on the golf course. 

“There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!” Trump wrote in an email sent on Sunday afternoon.

He further noted that, “Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER! I will always love you for supporting me with Unity and Peace. Make America Great Again. May God bless you."

OTN News recalls that the Security details and architecture around Trump was reviewed and increased after he was wounded, during his Pennsylvania rally some two moths ago after national security officials learned about an Iranian plot to assassinate Trump.

From that point till date, Trump, only travels with more Secret Service protection, and he now speaks at public rallies behind bulletproof glass. 

OTN News further gathered that when Trump held a news conference at his golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes, on Friday, Secret Service agents were stationed on the greens with binoculars and long guns. But tee times were still available on the oceanfront course.

OTN News recalls that the last time an American President was killed by a sniper was when John F. Kennedy was killed in 1963, leading to a massive overhaul in how the nation’s leaders are protected. 

It is reported that Trump already has greater protection than all other former Presidents such as Barack Obama and George W. Bush. But he is unique because he appears in public far more frequently than other former Presidents since he is once again seeking the White House, and his schedule is often public.

However, after the Secret Service prevented the tragedy Sunday, questions are already being raised about how a person with a weapon was able to get so close to Trump.

OTN News observes that there was confusion in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s incident as initial reports said that two people were shooting at each other, and the shooting was unrelated to the president. 

But that narrative quickly changed as details emerged that a man was spotted with an assault-style weapon on the edge of the golf course and that the Secret Service opened fire.

Trump was on the fifth hole and about to putt when the incident occurred but this second assassination attempt happened barely 50 days to the US Presidential election.