“Everybody's jaw dropped,” said Corey Gustafson, chairman of the Republican Party of San Diego, reacting to the news of another attempted assassination on former President Donald Trump.
The FBI confirmed it is investigating an attempted assassination on Trump at his West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course.
A source familiar with the matter told Scripps News that Secret Service agents engaged with a suspect armed with a "long gun" outside the grounds of Trump International Golf Club.
According to the Associated Press, authorities have identified the person taken into custody as Ryan Wesley Routh.
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Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the suspect fled in an SUV before being apprehended nearby. An AK-47-style rifle with a scope was recovered close to the golf club.
Earlier, the Trump campaign confirmed the former president was unharmed after shots were fired in his vicinity.
“This is now two attempts on the president's life. We have to give him more protection,” Gustafson said.
Local Republicans are also calling for increased security for President Biden, amid what they describe as a growing trend of political violence.
“But we can't let this become the new normal in America,” Gustafson added. “Just because this happened two months ago doesn't mean it should happen every month.”
Gustafson also noted that the way political debates are handled may contribute to the rising tensions.
“On both sides, we need to stay away from personal attacks and focus on whose ideas are better for the American people. If we do that, maybe the temperature in the room will drop,” he said.
Authorities are expected to file charges in the case in the coming days.
