Former President Donald Trump was escorted to safety on Sunday after the FBI called an assassination attempt on Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach an apparent assassination attempt.
The incident comes nearly two months after a shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, left Trump injured and a supporter dead.
Details are still emerging about the latest incident and the suspect, named by US media as Ryan Roth. Here’s what we know so far.
How was the suspect seen?
The incident took place at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, about 15 minutes from Trump’s Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago.
The gunman was first spotted by Secret Service agents, who were walking past the former president. According to police, agents usually go one hole ahead to conduct a security check.
The rifle sling — initially described by county Sheriff Rick Bradshaw as an AK-47-style rifle — was seen sticking through bushes that lined the course. Trump was about 300-500 yards (275-460m) away from the gunman at the time, he said.
Sheriff Bradshaw said an agent “immediately engaged” the man with the rifle, who fled.
“The Secret Service did exactly what it was supposed to do.”
How was the accused caught?
Upon seeing the gunman, the agents opened fire and fired four to five rounds of ammunition.
Sheriff Bradshaw said the suspect dropped the rifle and fled in a vehicle, leaving behind the weapon as well as two knapsacks, the scope used to aim the weapon and a GoPro camera.
A witness saw the man run through the bushes toward a black Nissan, the sheriff said. The witness took a photo of the car and provided it to law enforcement.
Police caught the suspect driving north on I-95 after entering Martin County, about 61 kilometers (38 miles) from Trump’s golf course.
Multiple law enforcement sources have told the BBC’s US affiliate CBS News that the suspect has been identified as Ryan Wesley Roth.
Who is Ryan Roth?
Details about the suspect’s history are slowly emerging.
Speaking to US media, Mr Roth’s son, Oran, described him as a “loving and caring father”.
“I don’t know what happened in Florida, and I hope things are just blown out of proportion, because I’ve heard from a young age that it doesn’t sound like a guy who knows how to do anything crazy. “Much less violent,” Oran said in a statement to CNN.
BBC Verify has found social media profiles matching this name. He explains that Roth called for foreign fighters to go to Ukraine to fight against Russian forces.
His profile also contains pro-Palestinian, pro-Taiwan and anti-China messages, including allegations of Chinese “biological warfare” and references to the CoVID-19 virus as an “attack”.
Mr. Roth, who had no military experience, told The New York Times in 2023 that he went to Ukraine shortly after the Russian invasion in 2022 to find military recruits among Afghan soldiers fleeing the Taliban.
He appears to have been involved in recruitment efforts as recently as this summer, writing on Facebook in July: “Soldiers, please don’t call me. We are still trying to get Ukraine to accept Afghan soldiers. Take and hopefully get some answers in the coming months… please be patient.”
Initial reporting indicated that Mr. Roth had a criminal record. According to CBS sources, Ryan Roth was charged and convicted of several serious crimes in Guilford County, North Carolina between 2002 and 2010.
These offenses include carrying a concealed weapon, resisting arrest by a police officer, driving with a revoked license, possession of stolen property and hit and run by a motor vehicle.
Authorities showed photos of the suspect's belongings during a news conference.
What happened to Trump?
Trump was not injured during the incident.
Shortly after the incident was confirmed by his campaign team, the Republican released a statement on his fundraising list, which read: "There were shots fired around me, but before the rumors got out of hand I wanted you to hear this first. I'm safe and well."
Trump gave his account to Fox News anchor Sean Hannity, who rebroadcast the episode on Sunday.
"They were on the fifth hole, they were going to go up for the putt," Mr Hanty said.
He said the former president heard "pop pop, pop pop." "Within seconds, the Secret Service pounced on the president [and] covered him."
He added that the steel-reinforced vehicle soon carried Trump to safety.
What happens next?
During the same news conference with the sheriff, Jeffrey Veltri from the FBI Miami field office said the bureau is leading the investigation along with other law enforcement agencies.
“We have deployed a number of resources, including investigative teams, members of the crisis response team, bomb technicians and members of the evidence response team,” Veltri said, adding that “the full resources of the FBI” are on the U.S. Secret Service. Service, along Palm Beach. The Sheriff’s Office and the Martin County Sheriff’s Office were mobilized.
The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, had been briefed on the incident and were relieved to know they were safe.
“I am deeply troubled today by the possible assassination of former President Trump,” Harris said in a statement.
Leaders of a bipartisan congressional task force set up to investigate the July 13 assassination in Pennsylvania said they were grateful the former president was unharmed, “but are deeply concerned about political violence and its Condemn in all forms”.
Congressman Mike Kelly, a Republican, and Jason Crowe, a Democrat, said the task force had requested a briefing from the Secret Service to understand “what happened and how security responded”.
Rafael Barros of the Secret Service told reporters on Sunday that steps had been taken since the previous assassination attempt and that the “threat level remains high”.
Mr. Roth’s first court appearance is expected Monday at the Palm Beach County Courthouse near Mar-a-Lago.
