by Terrance Kible and Ben Whedon
Former President Donald Trump is safe and unharmed following an apparent assassination attempt Sunday afternoon in which gunshots were fired in his vicinity while he was playing golf at the Trump International Golf Course, in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The FBI and Secret Service are both investigating the incident as an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, according to two government officials. A source directly familiar with the incident told Just the News that the Secret Service told the Trump campaign it believed the shooter was planning on targeting Trump before he was engaged by agents.Â
Secret Service against reportedly spotted the suspect two holes ahead of Trump, prompting the suspect to flee after the discharge of gunshots, CBS News reported.
“President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity. No further details at this time,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung confirmed in an initial statement. Trump himself subsequently sent out an alert on social media declaring that he is “SAFE AND WELL.”
Sheriff William D. Snyder of Martin County, Florida, has stated that the shooter had an AK-47 rifle and a suspect is in custody.
Secret Service agents opened fire on a man who was seen with what may have been a gun while former President Trump was on the golf course, according to law enforcement sources, the New York Post reported.
“Sources said the Secret Service spotted a suspicious individual on the Trump International Golf Course West Palm Beach, and opened fire when agents saw what appeared to be the barrel of a gun,” according to the Post.
The suspect remains unidentified, though Florida state Rep. John Snyder has stated that the suspect is a “white male, in his mid 60’s.”
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Just the News’ Terrance Kible is a national security correspondent. Ben Whedon is a fast file editor.
Photo “Donald Trump Golfs with Shinzo Abe, 2019” by The White House CC0.
