An AK-style firearm was discovered near Trump’s golf course, according to two officials and a third law enforcement officer.
The golf course was partially shut down while Trump was playing, and agents patrolling a few holes ahead saw someone with the firearm. They noticed the person pushing the rifle’s muzzle through the fence, prompting the agents to open fire, the officials reported.
Trump’s campaign and the Secret Service confirmed his safety and announced an ongoing investigation into the incident, which occurred just before 2 p.m.
This alarming event took place approximately two months after Trump survived an assassination attempt where a bullet grazed his ear during a rally in Pennsylvania.
Trump returned to Florida after spending the weekend on the West Coast, which included a Friday night rally in Las Vegas and a fundraiser in Utah.
No injuries were reported, said a spokesperson for Florida’s Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
The White House noted that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had been briefed and kept informed about the investigation. They expressed relief knowing Trump was unharmed.
Harris issued a statement saying she was “glad” Trump was safe and emphasized that “violence has no place in America.”
In an X post, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C, a staunch Trump ally, mentioned he had spoken with Trump, who was in “good spirits” and described him as “one of the strongest people I’ve ever known.”
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office announced in a Facebook update that they stopped a vehicle on northbound Interstate 95 and apprehended a suspect connected to the shooting.
The arrest was made following a “be on the lookout” alert from authorities in neighboring Palm Beach County. The suspect was taken into custody near Palm City, Florida, roughly 45 miles north of Trump’s golf course. Northbound I-95 lanes were temporarily closed, the sheriff’s office informed.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has been briefed on the situation and receives regular updates, according to a Justice Department spokeswoman.
Trump usually spends his mornings golfing, followed by lunch at the Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach, one of three clubs he owns in Florida.
Since the July assassination attempt, Trump has significantly stepped up his security measures. Dump trucks now form a wall outside Trump Tower in New York, and he speaks from behind bulletproof glass at outdoor rallies.
Inquiries sent to campaign officials regarding the security status and whereabouts of Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, went unanswered.
Max Egusquiza, a Palm Beach local, recounted the emergency response at Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course.
“I saw five black unmarked SUVs pinning a grey Mercedes in front of the golf course. Around 20 or more cop cars were zooming in from nearby streets,” Egusquiza described.
Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Michael R. Sisak in New York, and Zeke Miller, Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this report.
