Florida, USA – Former President Donald Trump is safe following an apparent assassination attempt at his Florida golf course, and a “potential suspect” is in custody, US authorities have confirmed.
Secret Service agents spotted the barrel of a rifle poking through some bushes and opened fire at him, officials said. The FBI said Trump was 300-500 yards (275 to 455m) away at the time.
An AK47-style firearm and scope, along with two backpacks and a GoPro camera, were later found at the scene.
A witness reported seeing the suspect running from some bushes and jumping into a black Nissan car after the agents had fired at him multiple times.
The witness took a picture of the vehicle and number plate and it was stopped later in Martin County, north of the club.
“We got a hold of Martin County Sheriff’s Office, alerted them, and they spotted the vehicle and pulled it over and detained the guy,” said Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of Palm Beach County.
“After that, we took the witness that witnessed the incident, flew him up there and he identified as the person that he saw running out of the bushes, that jumped into the car,” the sheriff told a news briefing.
In an email to his supporters, Trump said he was “safe and well”.
“Nothing will slow me down,” he wrote. “I will never surrender!”
The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris had been briefed about the golf course incident.
“I am relieved that the former president is unharmed,” Biden said in a statement.
The incident comes almost exactly two months after a gunman attempted to assassinate Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, striking his ear.
