Secret Service thwarts second assassination attempt on Trump

Authorities have captured a suspect in an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

U.S. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi stated Sunday afternoon that former President Donald Trump was safe after a “protective incident” that occurred shortly before 2 p.m. at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla. The golf course was partially shut down for Trump as he played. During his game, officials guarding the former president opened fire when they saw someone push the muzzle of a rifle through the fence line.

No one was injured, but a suspect escaped in an SUV. Law enforcement obtained a vehicle description and registration number, and the SUV was spotted on Interstate 95 as it was heading into Martin County, Fla. Officials said deputies with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office made a traffic stop and apprehended the suspect without incident. The suspect, described as male, made no statement.

At a news conference Sunday evening, officials said they recovered a number of items from the fence area. Those included an AK-style rifle with a scope, two backpacks containing ceramic tile, and a high-resolution GoPro camera.

An official estimated that the rifle was about 300-500 yards from Trump at the time the suspect was spotted.

Vice President Kamala Harris issued a statement Sunday afternoon saying she’d been briefed on the incident and was glad Trump is safe, adding that violence has no place in the United States.

This marks the second attempt on Trump’s life in recent months. On July 13, a man identified by authorities as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from a rooftop at a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pa. One rally attendee was killed, and a bullet grazed Trump’s ear. Secret Service agents fatally shot Crooks. A Republican-led House task force is investigating the Secret Service’s response to the shooting after the agency faced backlash from members of both political parties who said it should have done more to protect the former president. U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle later characterized the shooting as the agency’s biggest security failure in decades and announced her resignation in late July.