Second Assassination Attempt on Trump in Nine Weeks: Suspect Apprehended
Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, was the target of what the FBI is calling “an attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday, The Associated Press reports.
The incident marks the second such attempt on Trump’s life in just nine weeks.
The former president assured the public that he is safe and well. Authorities have taken a suspect into custody.
The incident unfolded while Trump was playing golf. US Secret Service agents, stationed a few holes ahead of Trump, noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle protruding from the shrubbery lining the course, some 400 yards away.
A Secret Service agent fired a warning shot, causing the gunman to drop the rifle and flee in an SUV. He left behind the firearm, two backpacks, a scope, and a GoPro camera. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw confirmed that the suspect was apprehended later by law enforcement in a neighboring county.
This latest incident adds to the growing unease surrounding the 2024 presidential campaign, which has already been marred by unprecedented upheaval. On July 13, Trump was shot during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, sustaining a graze to the ear. Eight days later, Democratic President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, making Harris the Democratic nominee.
The attempted assassination on Sunday has raised further questions about the effectiveness of Secret Service protective operations, especially following the agency’s admitted failures in preventing the assassination attempt in July.
