FBI Probes Gunfire Incident Near Trump in Alarming Assassination Attempt

The FBI is currently investigating a possible assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, following gunfire reported near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he was golfing on Sunday.

The FBI described the incident as an “attempted assassination of former President Trump” in a statement to States Newsroom.

A male suspect is now in custody, as law enforcement officials confirmed. Trump’s campaign communications director, Steven Cheung, assured the public, “President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity. No further details at this time.” This statement came roughly 20 minutes after the incident, which occurred just before 2 p.m. Eastern Time.

The investigation is being led by the FBI’s Miami field office, according to Jeffrey Veltri, the special agent in charge. During a press conference held by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw revealed that a Secret Service agent observed a rifle emerging from nearby bushes.

“The Secret Service agent that was on the course did a fantastic job,” Bradshaw stated. He explained that an agent had preemptively positioned one hole ahead of Trump’s location, allowing him to spot the rifle barrel and engage the suspect as he attempted to flee.

The suspect, armed with an AK-47 style rifle equipped with a scope, was found with two backpacks filled with ceramic tiles and a GoPro camera, according to reports.

A witness alerted authorities after seeing the suspect emerge from the foliage and flee in a black Nissan. Thanks to a photograph of the vehicle’s license plate, local law enforcement apprehended the suspect in Martin County, adjacent to Palm Beach County.

“They spotted the vehicle and pulled it over and detained the guy,” Bradshaw noted, highlighting the rapid response by law enforcement. The witness later identified the detainee as the individual who had fled the scene.

Bradshaw indicated that the suspect was positioned approximately 300 to 500 yards from Trump, stating, “With a rifle and a scope like that, that’s not a long distance.” Details regarding the suspect’s identity remain undisclosed.

U.S. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi confirmed on social media prior to the press conference that a “protective incident” involving Trump had occurred, and the Secret Service is collaborating with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office on the investigation. He reiterated that Trump is safe.

The golf course is situated about four miles from Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago.

The shooting has drawn reactions from various political figures. Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance from Ohio communicated via social media that he had spoken to Trump, who is “in good spirits,” adding, “Still much we don’t know, but I’ll be hugging my kids extra tight tonight and saying a prayer of gratitude.”

Vice President Kamala Harris expressed relief on social media, stating she had been briefed on the situation and emphasized that “violence has no place in America.”

According to the White House, President Joe Biden has also been informed of the developments and is reportedly relieved to hear that Trump is unharmed. The White House indicated that Biden and Harris would receive regular updates about the situation.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised the Secret Service for their swift action, declaring that “there is no place in this country for political violence of any kind.” He insisted that any perpetrator must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

This incident follows a previous assassination attempt on Trump, which occurred at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. In light of these events, Congress has established a bipartisan task force to investigate the earlier incident. The task force’s chair, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, alongside the committee’s top Democrat, U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, issued a joint statement requesting a briefing from the Secret Service regarding the West Palm Beach shooting and the security response.

“We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms,” they announced. “The Task Force will share updates as we learn more.”

Further commentary came from U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, a member of the task force investigating the prior assassination attempt, who stressed the importance of remaining dedicated to their work amid ongoing threats against Trump.