Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Sunday survived his second assassination attempt when Secret Service agents engaged a gunman who was on the edge of the former president’s golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla. At the time, Trump was playing golf and was several hundred yards away.
Law enforcement agents said Secret Service agents were ahead of Trump on the golf course when one of them noticed a rifle barrel sticking through a fence. The agent fired at the gunman, who fled. Law enforcement later caught the individual in another county, the Associated Press reported.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the gunman was hiding in bushes on the edge of the property. Law enforcement, he said, found an AK-47-style rifle with a scope, two backpacks hung on the fence, and a GoPro camera.
“The Secret Service agent that was on the course did a fantastic job,” Bradshaw said at a news conference.
An agent, he said, always stays “one hole ahead” of Trump to look for danger.
“He was able to spot this rifle barrel sticking out of the fence and immediately engage that individual, at which time the individual took off,” Bradshaw said.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said they found an AK-style rifle with a scope in the bushes, along with two backpacks hanging on a fence containing ceramic tile and a GoPro camera. https://t.co/pK5gQAolal pic.twitter.com/BNY8ptSCNh
— News 4 San Antonio (@News4SA) September 15, 2024
The FBI released a statement saying it is “investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.”
The assassination attempt took place barely two months after the July 13 assassination attempt that saw a bullet pierce Trump’s earlobe and nearly kill him. In 1975, former President Gerald Ford survived two assassination attempts 17 days apart while in office.
“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!” Trump told supporters in an email.
He added: “Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER!”
Steven Cheung, Trump Campaign Communications Director, said in a statement, “President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity.”
Evangelist Franklin Graham urged Christians to continue to pray.
“There aren’t many details available yet,” Graham wrote as details were emerging, “but as they try to determine what exactly happened, this is a strong reminder that we need to pray for this man.”
It’s evening here in Rome where I am, but the news is reporting that shots were fired in President @realDonaldTrump’s vicinity in Florida. There aren’t many details available yet, but as they try to determine what exactly happened, this is a strong reminder that we need to pray…
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) September 15, 2024
U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) also urged Americans to pray.
“After the second assassination attempt on President Trump, it is time for Christians, left and right, red or blue, Black and white, to come together, to pray for this nation, to pray for a political process without any violence,” Scott said. “It is what America needs. We need believers on their knees, asking God for all candidates to be safe.”
After the second assassination attempt on President Trump, it is time for Christians, left and right, red or blue, Black and white, to come together, to pray for this nation, to pray for a political process without any violence.
— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) September 15, 2024
It is what America needs. We need believers on… pic.twitter.com/NDVznhmFt8
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Related Resource: Sorting Out Love and Hate in an Election Season
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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
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