FORT PIERCE, Fla. (NewsNation) — Federal agents in the trial against a man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course last year testified Thursday that the safety on the suspect’s rifle was in the “off” position.
Thursday was the sixth day of testimony in the trial of Ryan Routh, who prosecutors said spent weeks plotting to kill Trump before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club.
On Wednesday, a pair of North Carolina brothers testified about a box left with them by Routh.
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Samuel and Lazaro Plata described in Spanish through translators how Routh left the container filled with pipes, bullets, wires and other items at Lazaro Plata’s home in Greensboro, North Carolina, in April 2024 — about five months before the alleged attempt.
Both men have known Routh for about 30 years and had previously worked at his roofing business. They contacted authorities last September after seeing news of Routh’s arrest.
Trump had survived an earlier attempt on his life while campaigning in Pennsylvania. That gunman had fired eight shots, with one bullet grazing Trump’s ear. The gunman was then fatally shot by a Secret Service sniper.
Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had initially blocked off more than three weeks for trial at the Fort Pierce federal courthouse. But prosecutors have said they should be able to rest their case by Thursday or Friday, and Routh’s witnesses have been subpoenaed to appear by Friday.
