Ryan Routh convicted on all counts in attempted assassination of Trump

Ryan Wesley Routh has been convicted of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump in a sniper attack planned last year at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida announced the verdict on Tuesday, saying Routh, 59, of Hawaii, was found guilty of attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and multiple firearms offenses. He faces a possible life sentence.

Fox News reported that after the verdict was read, Routh appeared to attempt to stab himself in the neck with a pen before being restrained by U.S. Marshals. His daughter, Sara Routh, reportedly stood up and shouted in the courtroom.

According to trial evidence, a Secret Service agent spotted Routh pointing a rifle from a sniper’s hide near the course on Sept. 15, 2024. The agent opened fire and Routh fled, but he was later arrested after a witness reported seeing him leave the scene.

Authorities recovered a loaded SKS-style rifle, ammunition, body armor plates, and surveillance equipment aimed at the golf course. Investigators also found multiple cell phones and a list of flights from Miami International Airport scheduled for the day of the attack.

Prosecutors presented a handwritten letter from Routh that read, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you.” Cell phone records also showed Routh had previously conducted surveillance near the golf course and Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.

“Today’s verdict against a would-be assassin of President Trump illustrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to punishing those who engage in political violence,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. “This attempted assassination was not only an attack on our President, but an affront to our very nation itself.”

Routh is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18 and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.