Incredibly, the Secret Service did not utilize drones and claimed the roof was too steep to position their agents prior to the event. Before a Secret Service sniper killed him, Crooks took eight shots at President Trump.
He killed courageous firefighter Corey Comperatore, who died protecting his family, and wounded U.S. Marine veteran David Dutch. He also shot President Trump in the ear and missed his head by millimeters. It was only the grace of God that allowed the President to turn his head at the right time to look at an illegal immigration graph and survive the shooting.
The federal investigation into this assassination attempt and the multiple mistakes committed by the Secret Service has been unsatisfactory and many questions remain.
On September 15, 2024, Ryan Routh, fueled by Trump hatred, camped on the border of Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. He had multiple weapons and sophisticated gear in a “sniper’s nest.” Routh had backpacks, a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope, a Go-Pro camera and ceramic tiles that may have been body armor. Somehow, Routh knew where the President was going to be playing golf that day.
After waiting for 12 hours for the President to approach his location adjacent to the sixth hole, Routh placed the muzzle of his gun through the bushes. Finally, he was spotted by a Secret Service agent, who engaged him in gunfire. Routh escaped but was later apprehended by law enforcement on Interstate 95.
This was another shocking lapse in Secret Service protection for President Trump. Fortunately, Routh was found guilty of numerous crimes including attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and possession of a firearm.