Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was arrested after agents opened fire on him at the former president’s golf course in Florida.
A man arrested in connection with an attempted assassination of Donald Trump was once an outspoken supporter of the former president but became increasingly disillusioned with the three-time GOP nominee.
Here’s what is known about the suspect and the thwarted attack as of Monday.
When and where did it happen?
Around 2 p.m. on Sunday, the former president was playing golf near his Mar-a-Lago residence when a Secret Service agent spotted a rifle with a scope hidden in the bushes outside the course, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.
Secret Service agents fired at the individual, though it remains unclear if the suspect fired back before escaping in a black Nissan, officials reported.
Authorities later apprehended 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh during a traffic stop on Interstate 95 by a Martin County Sheriff’s unit, without any resistance.
What kind of weapons were involved?
Sheriff Bradshaw stated that an AK-47-style rifle was found near a fence by the golf course, alongside two backpacks and a GoPro camera at the scene.
What was his involvement with Ukraine?
Routh was outspoken in his support for Ukraine in its conflict against the Russian invasion and claimed to have traveled to the country to witness the war firsthand.
However, the details of his involvement with Kyiv remain unclear.
In a 2022 interview with Newsweek Romania, Routh mentioned that he volunteered to fight for the International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine but was rejected due to his age and lack of combat experience.
Instead, Routh said he shifted his focus to assisting with military recruitment efforts in Kyiv.
However, a representative from the International Legion told NBC News on Monday that Routh was never part of their fighting force.
Did he support or oppose Trump?
In 2020, Routh admitted he had supported Donald Trump in the past but expressed disappointment with his presidency.
On June 10 of that year, he tweeted at Trump: “While you were my choice in 2016, I and the world hoped President Trump would be different and better than the candidate, but we were all greatly disappointed.
It seems you are getting worse and devolving… I will be glad when you’re gone.”
Routh later threw his support behind Democrat Tulsi Gabbard in her bid for the 2020 presidential nomination, which Joe Biden ultimately won.
However, he later became disillusioned with Gabbard, accusing her of aligning with Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In a 2022 post on X, he wrote, “Why don’t you go join Putin and Trump and be their third wheel.”
There was no indication from Routh’s social media that he ever supported Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris.
Instead, he backed Bernie Sanders for the 2020 Democratic presidential race, while criticizing Biden, calling him “sleepy Joe” and claiming he “stands for nothing; no plans, no ideas, just as limp as Hillary,” in a March 4, 2020 post.
Does he have a criminal history?
Records reveal that Routh has faced over 100 criminal charges in North Carolina. In 2002, court documents indicate he was convicted of possessing a weapon of mass destruction, specifically a machine gun.
In that incident, a 36-year-old Ryan Routh reportedly led authorities on a vehicle chase before barricading himself inside a roofing company in Greensboro, North Carolina, according to a report by the Greensboro News & Record.
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