Man accused of Donald Trump assassination attempt left note
September 23, 2024
The man accused of pointing a rifle at former US President Donald Trump at a Florida golf course on September 15 left a note saying he intended to kill him, US prosecutors said on Monday.
The handwritten letter, addressed to "the world," also offered a reward for Trump's life.
"This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. 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 note said.
The suspect, Ryan R., also allegedly kept a list in his car with the dates and locations of Trump's upcoming appearances and a notebook with comments about Russia, China, and Ukraine, according to the Department of Justice.
Authorities who searched his car also found a phone displaying a search for how to travel from Palm Beach to Mexico.
The device had been connected to towers near Trump International Golf Club, where the incident occurred, and near the Mar-a-Lago estate, where Trump lives, according to reports.
These new allegations aim to support prosecutors' claims that the suspect wanted to kill Trump.
Where was the note found?
The letter was found in a box that also contained ammunition, a metal pipe, and four phones, prosecutors said.
The box had been left months earlier at the home of an unidentified witness, who contacted authorities after the suspect's arrest on September 15.
It seems the note was based on the premise that he would fail in his attempt to assassinate Trump.
What is he accused of?
Authorities are charging him with two weapons-related crimes after he allegedly pointed a rifle at Trump while the former president was playing golf in West Palm Beach. More charges could follow.
A US Secret Service agent escorting the Republican candidate saw the weapon and fired in that direction, causing the suspect to flee, according to the criminal complaint.
They found a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope, a digital camera and a plastic bag containing food at the scene, the complaint said.
He was later arrested on a Florida highway.
Additionally, cell phone data revealed that Ryan R. may have been waiting in the area for nearly 12 hours.
The FBI is investigating the incident as an apparent attempt to assassinate Trump before the November 5 presidential election.
Who is the suspect?
Ryan R., 58, lived in North Carolina most of his life before moving in 2018 to Kaaawa, Hawaii. He and his son ran a shed construction company.
He has a criminal record for possessing a firearm with a defaced serial number and possession of stolen property.
On social media, he had repeatedly defended Ukraine in response to Russia's invasion.
In a self-published book, the suspect wrote that Iran was "free to kill Trump" for pulling the US out of an international nuclear deal with Tehran.
Trump survived another assassination attempt in July
On July 13, an armed man shot at Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, slightly wounding him in the ear.
The attacker was shot and killed by the Secret Service.
An internal US Secret Service report concluded that agency security lapses were responsible for the attack.
fmf/nm (AP, EFE, Reuters)
*Editor's note: DW follows the German press code, which stresses the importance of protecting the privacy of suspected criminals or victims and urges us to refrain from revealing the full names of alleged criminals.