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DeSantis on Trump: Florida will be conducting a parallel investigation into ‘attempted assassination’

FILE - (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File) (Rebecca Blackwell, Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Sunday that state law enforcement will also be investigating the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in Palm Beach County.

A suspected would-be assassin was in the custody of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. The Republican presidential candidate was not injured during the shooting at about 1:30 p.m., as he played golf at the Trump International Golf Club, in West Palm Beach.

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“The people deserve the truth about the would be assassin and how he was able to get within 500 yards of the former president and current GOP nominee,” DeSantis wrote on X.

The FBI, the agency leading the investigation into the “apparent” assassination attempt had yet to release the suspect’s identity. Law enforcement sources told ABC News and The Associated Press the suspect in custody was Ryan Wesley Routh. CNN reported Routh, 58, of Kaawa, Hawaii, has a minor arrest record and lived in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The shooting comes about two months after the U.S. Secret Service killed a man who fired a rifle during an assassination attempt against Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania. The bullet grazed Trump’s ear.

Martin County Sheriff William D. Snyder said deputies arrested the suspect near Palm City after Palm Beach County deputies released a “very urgent” be on the lookout, or BOLO, alert for a black Nissan sports utility vehicle.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the suspect fled leaving behind a rifle with a scope, two backpacks with ceramic tiles inside, and a GoPro camera.

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Reporting from Palm Beach

6 p.m., Sunday

5 p.m., Sunday

Local 10 News partner WPTV contributed to this report.


About the Author
Andrea Torres headshot

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.

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