By Smartencylopedia News Staff with Agencies
A letter found alongside ammunition, a metal pipe, and phones points to the planned assassination
US prosecutors revealed on Monday that Ryan Wesley Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump, left behind a handwritten note indicating his intention to kill Trump. The letter, found in a box containing ammunition, a metal pipe, and four phones, was addressed to “the world” and offered a $150,000 reward for anyone who could finish the job.
The Assassination Note
“This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you,” Routh’s letter said. “I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job, and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job.”
The letter was discovered after a witness, who had previously received the box from Routh months earlier, contacted authorities following the incident.
Planned Attack at a Florida Golf Course
On September 15, Routh allegedly pointed a rifle at Trump while he was playing golf at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. A US Secret Service agent accompanying Trump noticed the weapon and fired at the suspect, causing Routh to flee. He was later apprehended on a Florida highway.
Authorities found an SKS-style rifle with a scope, a digital camera, and a plastic bag of food left behind at the scene, according to the criminal complaint. Investigators also discovered that Routh had been in the area for nearly 12 hours before the attack, based on cell phone data.
Additional Evidence and Charges
In Routh’s car, law enforcement discovered a list of Trump’s upcoming appearances, as well as a notebook containing comments about Russia, China, and Ukraine. A phone in his possession showed searches for how to travel from Palm Beach to Mexico, with connections to cell towers near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
Routh has been charged with two weapons-related offenses, but prosecutors suggest that more charges may follow as the FBI continues its investigation into the apparent assassination attempt.
Who is Ryan Wesley Routh?
Routh, 58, lived in North Carolina for most of his life before relocating to Kaaawa, Hawaii, in 2018, where he ran a shed construction business with his son. He has a criminal history involving possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number and possession of stolen property.
On social media, Routh had frequently defended Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion, and in a self-published book, he wrote that Iran had the right to “kill Trump” due to the US pulling out of the nuclear deal with Tehran during Trump’s presidency.
Previous Attempt on Trump’s Life
This is not the first assassination attempt targeting the former president. In July, Trump was shot at during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, with the attack leaving him with a minor ear injury. The assailant, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by Secret Service agents on the scene.
An internal investigation by the US Secret Service later concluded that security lapses contributed to the Pennsylvania attack.
As the November 5 presidential election approaches, tensions surrounding the safety of political figures remain high, with federal agencies on heightened alert following these incidents.