(Washington) U.S. Secret Service agents opened fire after seeing an armed person near Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, as the Republican presidential nominee played golf Sunday, two law enforcement officials said. No injuries were reported.
The man fled in a sport utility vehicle (SUV) and was later apprehended in a neighboring county by local law enforcement, officials said. The officials were not authorized to discuss the case publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity about an ongoing investigation.
The US Secret Service said it was investigating and that the incident happened shortly before 2 p.m.
“The former president is safe and sound,” according to the secret service.
About two months ago, Donald Trump was shot and wounded in an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania, during which a bullet grazed his ear.
Donald Trump returned to Florida over the weekend after a West Coast tour that included a rally Friday night in Las Vegas and a fundraiser in Utah.
The campaign did not immediately provide further details.
No injuries were reported, according to a spokesperson for the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.
A law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation said authorities were trying to determine whether the shots were fired near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach or on the grounds. The law enforcement official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
PHOTO ALEX BRANDON, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Donald Trump often spends the morning playing golf, before having lunch at Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach, one of three he owns in the state.
The former US president has enjoyed increased security since the assassination attempt in July. When he was at Trump Tower in New York, a line of dump trucks were parked forming a wall outside the building. And at outdoor rallies, he now speaks behind a bulletproof glass enclosure.
A message to campaign officials seeking information on the security status and location of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, Mr. Trump’s running mate, did not immediately receive a response.
The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, had both been briefed and would be kept up to date on the investigation. The White House added that they were “relieved” that Donald Trump was safe.
In a post on X, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Trump’s top allies in Congress, said he had spoken with Mr Trump after the incident and that he was in “good spirits” and “one of the strongest people I have ever known”.
Max Egusquiza of Palm Beach described the emergency response outside Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach.
“From what I saw, there were five unmarked black SUVs stuck in a gray Mercedes in front of the golf course. There were about 20 or more police cars coming from nearby streets,” he said.