Shots fired near Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida

16/9/2024 5:55

        Republican presidential candidate
        Donald Trump was safe after what the FBI said appeared to be an
        assassination attempt on Sunday outside Trump's golf course in
        West Palm Beach, Florida.
        
        Law enforcement officials said during an afternoon press
        conference that the gunman was in some bushes near the property
        line of the golf course when Secret Service agents, who were
        clearing holes ahead of Trump, spotted a rifle barrel in the
        bushes.
        
        Agents engaged the gunman and fired at least four rounds of
        ammunition around 1:30 p.m. (1730 GMT). The gunman then dropped
        his rifle, two backpacks and other items and fled in a black
        Nissan car. A witness, the sheriff said, saw the gunman and
        managed to take photos of his car and license plate.
        
        Authorities then sent out an alert to statewide agencies
        with the information on the vehicle, which led to sheriff’s
        deputies in neighboring Martin County stopping and apprehending
        the suspect on I-95.
        
        "We have somebody in custody right now,” said Palm Beach
        County sheriff Ric Bradshaw.
        
        Trump's campaign had earlier said he was safe following
        gunshots in his vicinity.
        
        Trump sent an email to his fundraising list saying there
        were "gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling
        out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND
        WELL!" according to an email seen by Reuters.
        
        Trump was injured in an assassination attempt in
        Pennsylvania on July 13, raising questions about protection for
        candidates just months ahead of what looks likely to be highly
        contested Nov. 5 election in which he will face off against
        Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
        
        The White House said in a statement that President Joe Biden
        and Vice President Kamala Harris had been briefed about the
        incident and were relieved to know that he is safe.
        
        "Violence has no place in America," Harris said in an X
        social media post.
        
        The Washington Post said Trump had been golfing at the
        course when the incident occurred. Secret Service agents took
        him to a holding room at the club, it said, citing two people
        briefed on what had happened.
        
        Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung did not
        immediately respond to requests for comment.
        
        The first shooting of a U.S. president or major party
        presidential candidate in more than four decades was a glaring
        security lapse that forced Kimberly Cheatle to resign as Secret
        Service director under bipartisan congressional pressure.
        
        Trump was grazed in the right ear and one rallygoer was
        killed in the gunfire. The gunman, identified as a 20-year-old
        Thomas Crooks, was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper.
        
        The U.S. Secret Service's new acting director said in August
        that he was "ashamed" of a security lapse that led to the
        assassination attempt.