The man suspected of an apparent second assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump has been pictured for the first time.
Yesterday (September 15), the Republican presidential candidate was at his golf club in Palm Beach, Florida.
The Secret Service said that its agents, who were accompanying the 45th US president around the course, were making sure the holes were safe to play when they saw a gun barrel popping out of some bushes near the property line.
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When it was spotted multiple agents began firing at the alleged gunman and are believed to have unloaded at least four rounds.
The suspect then dropped his AK-47 style rifle, along with two backpacks, a Go Pro and fled in a black Nissan car, law enforcement said.
Multiple agents engaged the gunman and fired at least four rounds at him.
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Following the incident Trump issued a welfare update to his supporters through his campaign, which released the following statement: "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!
"Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER! I will always love you for supporting me.
"Unity. Peace. Make America Great Again."
The suspected gunman has been identified by the likes of CNN, Fox News and The New York Times as Ryan Wesley Routh, of Hawaii.
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The 58-year-old allegedly took to Twitter just five months ago, writing: "I would like to buy a rocket from you. I wish to load it with a warhead for Putins Black sea mansion bunker to end him. Can you give me a price please."
On Twitter in 2020, Routh expressed support for Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and mocked President Joe Biden as 'sleepy Joe', according to Reuters.
Earlier this year, Routh tagged Biden in a post on Twitter: "@POTUS Your campaign should be called something like KADAF. Keep America democratic and free. Trumps should be MASA ...make Americans slaves again master. DEMOCRACY is on the ballot and we cannot lose."
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It is believed to be the second assassination attempt on Trump's life in just three months.
On July 13, Trump came within milliseconds of death after 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at him at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, from the slanted roof of a building just 150 meters to his right.
It resulted in the death of father-of-two volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore, and critically injured two others.
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The presidential candidate didn't get away unscathed though, as one of the multiple bullets fired struck him, grazing the top of his right ear.
Crooks, a kitchen worker, was armed with an AR-style rifle when he was shot dead by the Secret Service 26 seconds after he opened fire on the rally.
Topics: Donald Trump, Ukraine, US News
Joe Yates