A former police sergeant in Greensboro, North Carolina, recently shed light on the background of Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspect in the apparent assassination attempt of Donald Trump. The retired sergeant, who left the force in 2017, revealed that Routh was a familiar name in law enforcement circles.
According to the sergeant, the department had received multiple alerts regarding Routh's potential danger in the past. These internal reports had flagged Routh as someone to be cautious of, leading the sergeant to be aware of his presence.
One notable incident involving Routh dates back to 2002 when the sergeant stopped him for driving with a revoked license. Upon approaching Routh's vehicle, the sergeant noticed him revealing a firearm from a duffle bag, prompting her to draw her weapon. Routh then fled the scene and barricaded himself in his nearby business, resulting in a stand-off with a police special-response team before his eventual arrest.
Court records from 2002 indicate that Routh faced charges related to felony possession of a weapon of mass destruction, as well as other offenses like resisting an officer, carrying a concealed weapon, and ID card fraud. The sergeant was listed as the charging officer in the court documents.
Despite the tense situation, the sergeant noted that Routh remained calm and cooperative throughout the encounter. She mentioned that he did not display signs of aggression or hostility typically seen in such situations, and he refrained from discussing the incident in detail.
The barricade incident involving Routh was previously documented in a 2002 article, highlighting the events that unfolded during that period.
