Would-be Trump assassin Ryan Routh has a history of legal troubles, including a three-hour standoff with police in 2002 that led to his conviction for possessing a "weapon of mass destruction," as shown in online records. Routh, 58, was arrested on Sunday for allegedly pointing a gun at the former President at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
More than 20 years before the alleged assassination attempt, Routh was involved in a three-hour standoff with police officers at a Greensboro business, according to an earlier report. On December 15, 2002, at around 10 p.m., 36-year-old Routh was stopped by police during a traffic stop, according to multiple reports.
Season Law Offender
He reportedly reached for a firearm and drove to United Roofing, the business he owned, where he then barricaded himself inside, according to a report from the Greensboro News and Recorder.
Routh was eventually taken into custody around 1 a.m. and faced charges of carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a weapon of mass destruction, referring to a fully automatic machine gun he was allegedly carrying, according to the Greensboro News and Recorder.
He was convicted in 2002 for possessing a weapon of mass destruction, as per online records from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction.
Routh has other convictions between 2002 and 2010 for felony possession of stolen goods and misdemeanor offenses, including carrying a concealed weapon, hit and run, and resisting law enforcement, as reported by the News and Observer.
Routh posted about politics and has regularly donated to Democratic candidates and causes since 2019.
In an April 22 post on X, Routh criticized Trump, saying, "Democracy is on the ballot, and we cannot afford to lose," according to reports.
On the same day, when Biden was still running for reelection, Routh urged the 81-year-old president to focus his campaign on preserving "America's democracy and freedom."
He also accused Trump of wanting to "make Americans slaves under a master." "DEMOCRACY is on the ballot and we cannot lose," he wrote, a similar slogan commonly used by President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
"We cannot afford to fail," Routh continued. "The world is counting on us to show the way."
Shocking Revelations
Routh has donated to Democratic candidates and liberal causes since 2019. From September 2019 to March 2020, he contributed over $140 through the Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records.
The records did not specify his employer.
His LinkedIn profile indicates that he attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and moved to Hawaii around 2018.
On LinkedIn, Routh is described as "mechanically inclined" with a passion for "ideas, invention, and creative projects with an artistic touch."
Secret Service agents spotted Routh near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach carrying a Soviet-style SKS assault rifle. The agents fired at him, but he managed to escape. Routh was subsequently arrested by local police on I-95.
As of now, Routh has not been charged in connection with the alleged assassination attempt on former President Trump at the Republican's golf club in Florida.
Prior to the events on Sunday, Routh had also encountered legal issues, including a federal tax lien in 2008 for approximately $32,000, according to court records cited by CNN.
State and federal authorities have consistently claimed that he failed to pay his taxes on time, as reported by the outlet.
