Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, arrives at Harry Reid International Airport to board a plane after a campaign stop Saturday in Las Vegas.
Alex Brandon/AP
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Alex Brandon/AP
Former President Donald Trump is safe after a shooting at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, while he was playing golf there on Sunday afternoon.
Local officials also said they had arrested a suspect, but did not provide further details. The FBI said it was investigating the shooting as an attempted assassination — the second time a gunman has targeted Trump in just two months.
In July, the Republican presidential candidate was wounded by gunfire at a rally in Butler, Pa.
During a press conference Sunday, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the Secret Service alerted local authorities to multiple gunshots at the golf course around 1:30 p.m. ET.
According to Bradshaw, a Secret Service agent positioned one hole ahead of Trump spotted an AK-style rifle protruding from a fence at the golf course. The agent “immediately engaged” the individual holding the rifle. That’s when the gunman took off in a black Nissan. A Secret Service spokesperson said agents opened fire on the individual.
Bradshaw said the suspect was about 300 to 500 yards from Trump. “With a rifle and a scope like that, it’s not that far away,” he said. He added that the suspect left behind two briefcases and a GoPro camera.
According to Bradshaw, a witness was able to provide authorities with the suspect’s vehicle model and license plate number. Police later located the gunman on I-95 northbound in Martin County. The suspect is currently in custody.
Martin County Sheriff William D. Snyder said WPLG that the suspect was “relatively calm” when he was arrested. “He didn’t show much emotion. He never asked, ‘What’s going on?’” Snyder added. Authorities have not released the suspect’s name.
Trump ‘safe and well’
In an email sent by his campaign, Trump wrote, “There were gunshots fired near me, but before the rumors spread out of control, I want you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND HEALTHY!”
Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance (Ohio), said he spoke with Trump after the shooting. “I’m glad President Trump is safe. I spoke to him before the news broke and it’s amazing how cheerful he was,” he wrote on Twitter. X.
Local officials said the entire golf course would be cordoned off if it were a sitting president. But for a presidential candidate, he would only have a handful of Secret Service agents with him, and the thick brush around the course would make detection more difficult.
“The threat level is very high,” Rafael Barros, Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Office, told reporters, adding that “we have increased the number of assets.” “We are living in dangerous times,” he added.
The White House said President Biden and Vice President Harris were also briefed on the security incident at Trump International Golf Course.
“They are relieved to know that he is safe. They will be receiving regular updates from their team,” the statement said. Attorney General Merrick Garland has also been notified and is monitoring the situation, his office said.
The Secret Service also briefed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on the incident, and he praised the Secret Service for acting quickly.
“There is no place for any form of political violence in this country. Perpetrators must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” he said in a statement.
