Former President Donald Trump said in an emailed statement that he is safe, after the FBI said that it is investigating a suspected assassination attempt after shots were reported in his vicinity at his Florida golf course.
“The FBI has responded to West Palm Beach Florida and is investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump,” the FBI said in a statement to The Epoch Times.
A representative of U.S. Secret Service said at a news conference on Sept. 15 that Secret Service personnel opened fire on a suspected gunman “located near the property line” of the Trump International Golf Course, adding that it’s under investigation.
Trump sent out an emailed statement confirming that he is “safe and well” more than an hour after his campaign released a brief statement on the incident.
“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!” he said. “Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER! I will always love you for supporting me.”
The Palm Beach sheriff said at the news conference that officials recovered an AK-47-style rifle with a scope, two backpacks that had “ceramic tile” inside, and a GoPro camera.
The suspect had “a GoPro on the fence there, where he was intent on filming what was going on,” Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said.
Photos shared by law enforcement on Sept. 15 showed what appeared to be two black bags hanging from a fence near the golf course. A firearm was between them and was pointed through a gap in the fence, and the GoPro was hanging to the side.
A Secret Service agent who was stationed near Trump while he was golfing “was able to spot this rifle barrel” and “immediately [engaged] that individual, at which time the individual took off,” he added.
Martin County Sheriff William Snyder told reporters on the afternoon of Sept. 15 that the suspect was detained as he was driving northbound on I-95, crossing from Palm Beach County into Martin County. Federal investigators are involved, he added.
He said the suspect “was relatively calm” and was “not displaying a lot of emotions,” adding that the car was involved in an accident. The vehicle is now in the custody of the FBI, he said.
The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, had both been briefed.
“The President and Vice President have been briefed about the security incident at the Trump International Golf Course, where former President Trump was golfing,” The White House stated. “They are relieved to know that he is safe. They will be kept regularly updated by their team.”
“He is more resolved than ever to save our country,” the senator added.
The incident comes just two months after a would-be assassin fired multiple shots at Trump as he was speaking at a Pennsylvania rally, with one bullet striking him in the ear. One rallygoer was killed and two others were injured.
The shooting suspect was shot and killed just moments after he fired at the former president. Federal and state law enforcement officials have not publicly disclosed a motive of the shooter.
The Secret Service, the West Palm Beach Police Department, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, and the Trump campaign have not responded to requests for comment on Sept. 15.
Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach is several miles from Mar-a-Lago, the former president’s primary residence.
