Ryan Wesley Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate 2024 GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump while he was golfing at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, has been formally charged with two firearms-related offenses.
According to Axios, Routh faces charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He appeared before Magistrate Judge Ryon M. McCabe on Monday morning.
During the hearing, officials noted that if convicted, Routh could face up to 15 years in prison for the first charge and an additional five years for the second charge, as reported by the Associated Press. A bond hearing is scheduled for September 23.
The incident occurred on Sunday when Secret Service agents spotted Routh approximately 300 to 500 yards from Trump and opened fire. Routh fled the scene but was later apprehended on I-95.
Authorities said they discovered an AK-47-style rifle with a scope, two backpacks containing ceramic tiles (commonly used in ballistic armor), and a GoPro camera in the bushes near the golf course.
Commenting on the suspect’s motivations, Trump stated, “He believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it.”