According to an FBI official, the alleged complainant was interviewed following a tip about Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspect in the Trump assassination attempt case. The tip, which was received in 2019, indicated that Routh was illegally in possession of a firearm. FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B Veltri revealed that the alleged complainant did not verify providing the initial information during the interview. The FBI then passed this information to local law enforcement in Honolulu, resulting in an investigation that was eventually closed.
Routh, who is facing felony gun charges related to the incident, was apprehended by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office in Florida and transferred to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. When FBI agents attempted to interview him, Routh invoked his right to an attorney.
The Department of Justice disclosed that Routh hid near the Trump International Golf Club perimeter for 12 hours, pointing the muzzle of an SKS-style rifle through a fence while the former president was golfing. Authorities recovered the rifle with a scope, as well as a bag of food, two backpacks, and a GoPro camera.
U.S. Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe confirmed that Routh did not have a clear line of sight to Trump and did not fire any shots at agents before fleeing the scene. Trump was safely evacuated, and the suspect was subsequently arrested.
The FBI is currently processing evidence, including the scoped rifle, electronic devices, and ceramic tiles found in the backpacks. Veltri stated that they are analyzing Routh’s movements leading up to the incident, with no evidence suggesting he acted in collaboration with others.
Routh’s criminal record, including a 2002 conviction for possession of a weapon of mass destruction and felony charges from 1997 and 2010, has been highlighted by prosecutors. However, no motive for the assassination attempt has been publicly disclosed.
Social media posts indicate that Routh supported Ukraine in the Russia–Ukraine conflict and made critical remarks about Trump. He reportedly traveled to Kyiv on multiple occasions.
