Prosecutors have filed a charge of attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate against a man accused of camping outside of Donald Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course on September 15. The accused, Ryan Routh, allegedly stalked Trump in Florida for over a month, with cell phone data placing him at various locations associated with Trump.
Federal Judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing the Trump classified documents case, has been assigned to oversee Routh's case. Routh was initially charged with gun-related offenses and assaulting a federal officer.
Routh is scheduled to be arraigned next Monday. Investigators found a handwritten note after detaining Routh, which included venues and locations where Trump had visited or planned to visit leading up to the 2024 election. A witness presented a letter allegedly written by Routh months before his arrest, admitting to an assassination attempt on Trump.
The letter was discovered inside a box left by Routh at the witness's home. The witness only opened the box after hearing about the events at Trump’s golf course. The case continues to unfold as more details emerge regarding the alleged assassination attempt and Routh's motives.