Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, has been charged with federal gun crimes in connection with a suspected assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
Routh faces charges for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and having a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Additional charges may arise as the investigation progresses and prosecutors seek a grand jury indictment.
Routh made his first court appearance in West Palm Beach, where he briefly answered questions about his employment and income while shackled and wearing a blue jumpsuit. His public defender declined to comment.
The incident occurred when Secret Service agents noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle through the shrubbery near Trump’s golf course on Sunday.
An agent fired at Routh, who then dropped the rifle and fled in an SUV, leaving behind the firearm, two backpacks, a scope, and a GoPro camera. Routh was later apprehended by law enforcement in a neighbouring county.
This incident is the second apparent assassination attempt against Trump in recent months. The first occurred on July 13, when a bullet grazed Trump’s ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
