Joe Biden Calls for Increased Support for Secret Service Following Reported Assassination Attempt on Trump in US
US President Joe Biden has expressed the need for additional support for the Secret Service following an apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump on Sunday.
Mr Biden conveyed his relief that Mr Trump was unharmed, although he admitted to not having all the details of the incident yet.
He emphasized the necessity for Congress to address the service’s needs, stating that they require more assistance. When questioned about the type of help needed, Mr Biden suggested that it may involve increasing personnel.
These comments were made after the FBI reported that a potential assassination attempt on Mr Trump had been thwarted, resulting in the arrest of a man and the recovery of an assault rifle.
During the incident, Mr Trump was on the golf course at Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida, where gunshots were heard.
Details are still unclear about whether the suspect fired shots, if only the Secret Service discharged their weapons, or who fired first.
Stay updated: Suspect detained after ‘running out of bushes’
Security agents tackled Mr Trump to the ground on the fifth hole, located around 300 metres from the southern perimeter fence of the golf course.
Although thick foliage surrounds the course, satellite images indicate that the area between the fence and Mr Trump’s location is mostly open water and grass, potentially obstructed by some trees bordering a lake.
Agent identifies rifle barrel protruding from fence
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw explained that a Secret Service agent, patrolling ahead of Mr Trump, noticed a rifle barrel emerging from a perimeter fence.
The agent engaged with the individual, later identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, who then fled the scene.
Mr Bradshaw disclosed that Mr Trump was approximately 300 to 500 yards away from the suspect at the time of the incident.
Dave Aronberg, the state attorney of Palm Beach County, reported to MSNBC that the suspect was waiting to harm Mr Trump.
Rafael Barros, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Miami field office, mentioned at a news conference that it was uncertain if the suspect had attempted to shoot agents.
Ryan Routh pictured as he is arrested. Pic: Martin County Sheriff’s Office
Afterwards, Routh fled in a black Nissan SUV and was apprehended by local authorities after a stop on the I-95 highway, approximately 46 miles from the golf course.
The southern perimeter fence aligns with Summit Boulevard, where a police cordon was established for a search of the nearby bushes.
Subsequently, law enforcement conducted searches in the vicinity where Routh was sighted, leading to the discovery of an AK-47-style rifle, two rucksacks, and a GoPro.
Authorities reported that Routh resided in North Carolina before relocating to Hawaii in 2018. Son of the suspect shares hopes
Routh’s son, Oran Routh, expressed his wish that the incident was blown out of proportion, stating that it would be out of character for his father to exhibit violent behavior.
He emphasized that his father is a loving and honest individual, describing him as a dedicated father and hardworking person.
These events occurred two months after Mr Trump suffered an ear injury during an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania in July, where the perpetrator, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was fatally shot by the Secret Service.
The previous attempt on Mr Trump’s life led to the resignation of Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle, acknowledging the agency’s significant operational failure.
