Ryan Wesley Routh Charged with Firearms Offences Following Trump Golf Course Incident of September 15

Ryan Wesley Routh, a 58-year-old resident of Hawaii, has been charged with multiple firearm offences in connection with a troubling incident that occurred on September 15 at the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach. Routh faces charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

Routh made his initial appearance September 16th before Magistrate Judge Ryon M. McCabe at the federal courthouse in West Palm Beach. A detention hearing is scheduled for September 23, 2023. The case is currently under investigation, and further developments are anticipated.

The investigation is being led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Secret Service. The prosecution is being managed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, in cooperation with the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

Sequence of Events

According to the allegations outlined in the criminal complaint, a Secret Service agent assigned to patrol the perimeter of the golf course noticed what appeared to be a rifle protruding from the tree line. In response to this potential threat, the agent discharged a service weapon in the direction of the suspected firearm. Witnesses observed Routh fleeing the area shortly thereafter.

Following the report, Routh was apprehended by officers from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. During the investigation, law enforcement reportedly discovered several items in the vicinity from which Routh had fled, including:

A digital camera
A loaded SKS-style rifle equipped with a scope
A black plastic bag containing food

Ryan Wesley Routh's Criminal History

According to a Press release by the US Department of Justice, Routh's criminal background is significant, with felony convictions in North Carolina dating back to December 2002 and March 2010. This history underscores the gravity of the recent charges he faces.