Prosecutors on Sept. 24 charged a man suspected of trying to assassinate former President Donald Trump with attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate.
Ryan Routh, 58, is already facing two gun-related charges after authorities said he pointed a rifle through a fence at Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15 while the Republican presidential candidate was playing golf. On Sept. 23, a judge ordered that he remain in jail to await trial.
Meanwhile, cellphone records for two of Routh’s phones found in the vehicle he was using showed that between Aug. 18 and Sept. 15, his phone accessed cell towers near Trump’s golf course and Mar-a-Lago.
Court documents that were filed in the case showed that a witness told law enforcement that Routh had dropped off a box to the witness, which included a note allegedly from Routh stating, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you.”
Routh was charged with felony crimes in 2002 for possession of a weapon of mass destruction.
If convicted, Routh could face life imprisonment, the DOJ said.
In the incident earlier this month, a U.S. Secret Service agent patrolling the golf course ahead of Trump opened fire after discovering the gun poking through the fence, causing Routh to flee, prosecutors said. Routh was arrested within an hour along a Florida highway.
Routh was initially charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
