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Ryan Routh arrest: Witness describes mayhem after Trump assassination attempt, ‘We saw multiple officers…’
A Florida motorist described the chaotic scene when would-be Donald Trump assassin Ryan Wesley Routh fled after being fired at by the Secret Service.
A Florida motorist described the chaotic scene when would-be Donald Trump assassin Ryan Wesley Routh fled after being fired at by the Secret Service. The 58-year-old was spotted with an AK-47 style rifle near the fifth and sixth hole of Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
When Secret Service agents noticed Routh, they opened fire at him, causing him to drop the gun and flee in what witnesses said was a black Nissan. He was later arrested in a traffic stop on I-95.
Routh was apprehended by police about 36 miles away from the golf course in neighbouring Martin County. According to cops, when Routh was caught, he had a calm demeanour and was unarmed.
While apprehending Routh, multiple law enforcement agencies converged on the scene. This led to major backups on Interstate 95, which is one of Florida's busiest highways.
‘We saw a helicopter flying in the air’
Several drivers witnessed the chaos, and have now described how the black Nissan came screaming down the highway with police vehicles pursuing it.
“We saw multiple officers starting to speed up behind us,” Rodriguez said. “We saw a black Nissan speed up and merge in and out of traffic. We saw a helicopter flying in the air and many more police starting to appear. Then, a state trooper pulled over and stopped the traffic lane," Daniel Rodriguez told CNN.
At the time, Rodriguez and his family were driving back from a soccer match in Orlando. “By the end, I can say there were at least 20 patrol cars behind the Nissan,” Rodriguez added. “We waited patiently until police escorted us out of traffic. I had a pair of binoculars and saw police and several agents pointing rifles at the suspect.”
Rodriguez revealed that he and his family were stuck in traffic for at least two hours. Eventually, police started escorting them out of traffic.
Routh is said to have remained absolutely silent after being arrested. “He did not apparently speak to officers, he was calm. So, it looked like a person who has done this before, not necessarily this crime, but someone who has had repeated interactions with law enforcement.” said David Aronberg, State Attorney for Palm Beach County, Florida.
