Ryan Wesley Routh, the individual charged in the alleged assassination attempt on Donald Trump had previously written a note expressing his intention to kill the former president, as revealed by the Justice Department on Monday.
The man accused in assassination attempt wrote note indicating he intended to kill Trump. This disclosure was part of the DOJ argument for his continued detention as the case progresses.
The note, titled “Dear World,” was found in a box that was delivered to the residence of an unnamed individual, who subsequently alerted law enforcement following the arrest of Ryan Wesley Routh last Sunday. The box, which included ammunition, a metal pipe, and various other items, was not opened by the recipient until after Routh was apprehended.
The identity of the individual who received the box and reported it to authorities was not disclosed in the Justice Department's detention memorandum on Monday.
The note reportedly stated, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job,” according to prosecutors. Routh's attorney did not provide an immediate response to an email requesting comment on Monday morning.
Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, supposedly posted the note — addressed “To the World” — off in a box at an unnamed person’s home in the months before the foiled assassination attempt at the West Palm Beach golf course on Sept. 15, federal prosecutors said in a court filing.
Ryan Wesley Routh's chilling letter offering $150,000 to anyone who could 'finish the job'
Here's what we know about the assassination attempt on Trump in Florida:
- On September 15, 2024, former President Donald Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt at Trump International Golf Club located in West Palm Beach. Shortly thereafter, Trump issued a statement to his supporters confirming that he was "SAFE AND WELL."
- The individual apprehended in connection with this incident has been identified as Ryan Routh, a 58-year-old resident of Hawaii. Routh managed to approach within 300 to 500 yards of Trump, positioning himself at a chain link fence bordering the golf course, armed with an AK-47 and a GoPro camera, which he appeared to have set up to document the intended shooting.
- Routh has a documented history of advocating for progressive causes online and has contributed to 19 Democratic candidates since 2019.
- A Secret Service agent observed Routh and discharged his weapon as the suspect attempted to pass his firearm through the fence. Following this confrontation, Routh fled the scene but was apprehended on Interstate 95 shortly thereafter.
- According to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, the security detail assigned to Trump was less extensive due to the fact that he is no longer a sitting president, despite a previous assassination attempt on his life in July.
