From what the authorities are describing, it sounds like Trump was in serious danger. A man with an assault rifle was only a few hundred meters away when the Secret Service tracked him down.
Following the alleged attempted assassination of former US President Donald Trump, the authorities have released further details. The Secret Service shot the suspect on Sunday afternoon (local time) in West Palm Beach, Florida, said spokesman Rafael Barros. The armed man was on the property boundary of Trump’s golf club and then fled.
A Secret Service agent was previously able to see a gun barrel sticking out of the fence, said Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. The gunman was about 270 to 500 meters away from Trump, who was playing golf at his club. Bradshaw said it was unclear whether the man had also fired a shot – or just the Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting high-ranking politicians in the USA. After the man fled, an AK-47 assault rifle with a telescopic sight and a camera were found in bushes at the scene.
The sheriff also said that a witness saw a man running out of the bushes and took a photo of his vehicle. This led to the arrest of the suspect on a highway near the crime scene, Sheriff Bradshaw said. “There is no longer any danger,” he said. CNN reported that the suspect is being questioned – but has not yet made a statement.
Trump returned to his Mar-a-Lago estate after the incident, US media reported. The estate is about a ten-minute drive from the golf course.
