State Attorney Dave Aronberg of Palm Beach, Florida, has confirmed that Ryan Routh, the suspect apprehended in connection with the potential assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, will be facing federal charges rather than state charges. Aronberg revealed that Florida authorities had initially considered pursuing state charges but deferred to federal agents who took over the case.
One of the challenges in charging Routh with a crime against Trump directly is the distance between Routh and the former president, estimated to be between 300 to 500 yards. This distance may pose difficulties in proving that Routh was specifically targeting Trump with his rifle. Aronberg indicated that a more viable approach would be to charge Routh with aiming at the Secret Service agent who reported the rifle being pointed in his direction.
Regarding the potential defense of insanity, Aronberg expressed skepticism about its applicability in this case. Routh's decision to flee the scene following the incident suggests a level of awareness of the wrongfulness of his actions, making an insanity argument challenging to sustain.
Aronberg emphasized the significance of the evidence left behind at the scene, including two bags, ceramic tiles, a GoPro camera, an AK-14 rifle, and a scope. These items are expected to play a crucial role in building the case against Routh for attempted murder.
