The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating a possible “attempted assassination” of former President Donald Trump, which happened while he was at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, just before 2 p.m. on Sunday.
“President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity,” Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign’s communications director, said in a statement. The FBI referred to the incident as an apparent “attempted assassination of former President Trump” in a separate statement.
As Trump played golf at the Trump National Golf Club in West Palm Beach, the United States Secret Service “opened fire” on an individual when they saw a rifle poking out of the fence at the course, a representative for the Secret Service told reporters.
“We are not sure right now if the individual was able to take a shot at our agents, but for sure, our agents were able to engage,” a Secret Service representative told reporters on Sunday.
A “potential suspect” then fled in a vehicle but was apprehended by police and is currently in custody, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.
Asked how far away Trump was when this happened, Bradshaw said “probably between 3 and 500 yards, but with a rifle and a scope like that, that’s not a long distance.”
The individual left behind “an AK-47 style rifle with a scope, two backpacks which were hung on the fence that had ceramic tile in them, and a GoPro” at the scene, Bradshaw told reporters.
Trump was on the golf course with his friend Steve Witkoff, a New York real estate investor, when the shots were fired, according to a source familiar with the matter. Witkoff did not immediately respond to NOTUS’ request for comment.
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina posted on X shortly after news of the incident broke that he had spoken with Trump. “He is one of the strongest people I’ve ever known,” Graham said. “He’s in good spirits and he is more resolved than ever to save our country.”
The incident follows the July assassination attempt at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania, where Trump was struck by a bullet and where one person was killed and two rallygoers were injured.
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Reese Gorman is a reporter at NOTUS.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include additional details and reporting.