Around 1:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon, while the president was playing the fifth hole, a man was able to push the muzzle of his gun through a chain link fence.
Secret Service spotted the man and fired shots at him. The gunman was 300 to 500 yards away from Trump, authorities said.
The man was able to get way, but was later stopped by authorities and arrested.
He was found with two backpacks and a GoPro camera.
The rifle was recovered from the bushes outside the golf course.
Authorities are treating the case as a potential assassination attempt, and arrested the man sources identified as Ryan Wesley Routh. Routh was allegedly armed with a rifle when agents fired at him.
“This does not appear to be some random guy with an AK-47 walking outside Trump’s club,” the official added.
Authorities said Routh, who had a GoPro camera and two backpacks, shoved the muzzle of his rifle through a chain-link fence and may have been aiming at the president when agents fired at him.
Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson confirmed that the Secret Service opened fire after they saw the suspect raising the weapon. The suspect fled in a black Nissan, but was quickly apprehended, authorities said.
Trump was on the fifth hole of his course when the shots rang out, prompting his protective detail to swarm him and usher him to the safety of the clubhouse. The incident may prove to be the second attempt on the former president’s life in just two months.
Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity, citing local law enforcement, said the suspect’s rifle was discovered in the bushes. Four shots were fired, Hannity also confirmed through local law enforcement. Hannity said Trump’s initial reaction inside the clubhouse was to make sure everyone was okay.
Fox News host Bret Baier also spoke to Trump, who praised the Secret Service for acting quickly. Trump reaffirmed to Baier that he was fine and there was no evidence any shots were near him or hitting near him.
“Tell everybody I am fine and the Secret Service did a great job,” Trump told Baier.
The Secret Service is working closely with authorities and investigating the situation.
