Wed Sep 25 02:38:30 UTC 2024: ## Man Indicted for Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump

**WASHINGTON** – A man who allegedly staked out Donald Trump’s golf course in Florida for 12 hours with the intent to kill him has been indicted on charges of attempted assassination. Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was initially charged with firearms offenses, but the Justice Department upgraded the charges based on evidence suggesting a deliberate plot to kill the former president.

Prosecutors say Routh aimed a rifle through the shrubbery surrounding Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course while Trump was playing. Routh left behind a note detailing his intentions, and a later search of his car revealed a handwritten list of Trump’s appearances and a Google search for directions to Mexico.

According to authorities, Routh’s plan was thwarted when a Secret Service agent spotted his rifle protruding through the fence line and fired a warning shot. Routh fled the scene but was apprehended shortly after.

The attempted assassination charge carries a potential life sentence. Routh is also facing charges of assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and the initial firearms charges.

The incident comes two months after a shooting incident at a Trump campaign rally in Pennsylvania, highlighting concerns about security for former presidents and candidates.

Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that the Justice Department will “spare no resources” to ensure accountability in the case, emphasizing the importance of protecting those who run for office and their families.

Trump criticized the initial charges as a “slap on the wrist” but has not yet commented on the attempted assassination charge.

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