The would-be assassin accused of trying to assassinate Donald Trump has made his first federal court appearance where he was hit with gun charges on Monday, September 16.
Cops released a new photo of suspected gunman Ryan Wesley Routh grinning after he was arrested in West Palm Beach, Florida when fleeing the scene where he made an attempt on the former president’s life.
The 58-year-old is accused of pointing an AK-47 at the Republican presidential nominee through a fence while he was playing a round of golf at the Trump International Golf Club on Sunday.
Trump, 78, was unharmed and rushed to safety by the Secret Service in another close call less than two months after he was shot in the ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Routh was led into the Paul G Rogers Federal Courthouse on Monday morning.
The hearing was eight minutes and Routh was charged on two counts: possession of a firearm while a convicted felon; and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
He is facing up to 20 years for the initial two charges.
The charging documents released on Monday reveal that Routh was perched outside of Trump’s golf course for nearly 12 hours on Sunday before fleeing the scene.
The cell phone of the construction worker was tracked in the wooded around around the course starting at 1:59 a.m. on Sunday through 1:31 p.m.
This new information suggests that Routh was staking out the location and had advance knowledge that the former president would be golfing there on Sunday.
Routh will face arraignment in two weeks.
Secret Service opened fire on Routh in West Palm Beach after they spotted the muzzle of his AK-47 poking through a fence at Trump International Golf Club while the Republican nominee was playing a round.
Routh was arrested in Martin County on Sunday, about 50 miles from the scene of the golf course shooting.
The suspect reportedly provided routine information to court officials during the Monday hearing.
Those in the room report that Routh spoke in a soft voice and said he makes around $3,000 per month. He says he has no savings, real estate or assets besides his two trucks, which are located in Hawaii and he claims are worth about $1,000.
During a press conference right after the court appearance Martin County Sheriff Will Snyder answered questions on whether Routh was involved in a conspiracy.
‘How does a guy from not here, get all the way to Trump International, realize that the former president of the United States is golfing and is able to get a rifle in that vicinity?’ the sheriff said while speaking with local media.
‘Is this guy part of a conspiracy, a lone gunman?’ he went on.
‘If he is a lone gunman, President Trump is that much safer because we have him,’ Snyder said. ‘If he is part of a conspiracy then this whole thing takes on a very ominous tone.’
At another point, Snyder said: ‘This is a once in a lifetime event. How many people get a shot off at the former president of the United States? The poor guy has already been shot once and then for that suspect to come into this county.’
