Suspected Trump Gunman Likely Stalked Former President, US Says
(Bloomberg) -- The man suspected of trying to assassinate Donald Trump on Sept. 15 appears to have stalked him at his Florida golf club and Mar-a-Lago resort for a month, according to the US Justice Department in a filing likely to fuel criticism that he could have been caught earlier.
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The filing, made Monday in federal court in Florida, includes new details of the alleged movements and activities of Ryan Routh, including a letter addressed to the “world” that the US says he sent admitting he tried to kill Trump, the former president and the Republican nominee in November’s election.
“This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you,” the letter reads. “I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job.”
Currently the criminal complaint against Routh includes charges such as possessing a firearm by a convicted felon. A formal indictment that may include additional charges is expected to be presented on Sept. 30. The letter could help the government establish that Routh tried to assassinate Trump. The government said the facts in the filing were offered just to support its request for pretrial detention ahead of a hearing Monday and don’t represent all the information and evidence it has in the ongoing investigation.
Routh was arrested after he was spotted by the Secret Service with a loaded assault rifle hiding in the bushes at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, according to the government. But he had been seeking Trump out well before then, the filing details.
“On multiple days and times from August 18, 2024, to September 15, 2024, Routh’s cell phone accessed cell towers located near Trump International and the former President’s residence at Mar-a-Lago,” according to the document.
The account of Routh’s alleged activities is likely to add to a chorus of claims that more could have been done to identify and stop him prior to his arrest. The filing suggests Routh had been planning for months to carry out an attack on Trump and traveled from Greensboro, North Carolina, to West Palm Beach on Aug. 14. After his arrest, officials searched his vehicle and found a handwritten list of dates for August, September and October and venues where Trump had appeared or was expected to be present.
The criticism comes after a narrow miss when a gunman fired at Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in July, killing an audience member, seriously injuring two others and grazing Trump’s ear.
House lawmakers approved a bill on Friday requiring more security for major candidates for office. The bill would require the Secret Service to use the same standards to determine protection levels for presidents, vice presidents and major candidates for the White House. Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe told reporters on Friday his agency needs more personnel, technical assets and equipment.
According to Monday’s filing, Routh dropped off a box several months ago with a person who isn’t identified in the document. After his arrest, the person opened the box and found it contained “ammunition, a metal pipe, miscellaneous building materials, tools, four phones, and various letters.”
The case is US v. Routh, 24-mj-08441, US District Court, Southern District of Florida.
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