As residents in Florida were still recovering from the aftermath of two hurricanes, federal prosecutors sought a brief extension for court deadlines in the case of a man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump.
The prosecutors requested a two-day extension for the initial discovery deadline, citing storm-related office closures at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and the local FBI offices.
The accused, identified as Routh, a 58-year-old resident of Hawaii, allegedly stalked Trump for a month before setting up a sniper’s nest near the Trump International golf course in West Palm Beach. He was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate.
Despite pleading not guilty, prosecutors presented evidence of Routh’s elaborate plan to kill the former president. An FBI agent described the inside of the sniper’s nest, where Routh waited for hours with a rifle equipped with a scope. The nest included bags hanging from a fence with plates to stop small arms fire, along with an SKS rifle with a scope, linked through fingerprint analysis to Routh.
Further investigation revealed a handwritten list in Routh’s vehicle detailing dates and venues where Trump was expected to appear in August, September, and October 2024. Additionally, Routh had left a note with a civilian witness offering a reward of $150,000 to anyone who could “finish the job.”
Authorities foiled the assassination attempt when a U.S. Secret Service agent spotted the rifle in the tree line and fired towards it, prompting Routh to flee in a Nissan SUV. Cellphone records indicated Routh had been camping out near the site of the incident for several hours before being apprehended on Interstate 95.
Routh’s defense attorney dismissed the allegations as a publicity stunt, but prosecutors maintained that he had been planning the assassination for months. The case continues to unfold as the legal proceedings progress.
This article was syndicated with permission from The Center Square and offers a glimpse into the chilling plot to assassinate a former president.
