A man convicted of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump last year at his golf course tried to stab himself in the neck on Tuesday, Sept. 23, after a jury found him guilty, according to The Associated Press.
Jurors found Ryan Routh guilty on all counts in the Sept. 15, 2024, assassination attempt, during which Trump was unharmed. At the time, Trump was a presidential candidate and had survived a separate attempt on his life while campaigning in Butler, Pa., roughly two months earlier.
After the verdict, Routh attempted to stab himself in the neck with a pen as jurors left the courtroom, prompting Marshals to quickly remove him, the AP reported.
According to the outlet, his daughter, Sara Routh, screamed: “Dad, I love you. Don’t do anything. I’ll get you out. He didn’t hurt anybody.”
Routh later returned to the courtroom in shackles, with no visible signs of injury, the AP reported.
Shortly after the verdict, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “This was an evil man with an evil intention, and they caught him.”
He expressed gratitude to law enforcement officials, as well as “the wonderful person who spotted him running from the site of the crime, and acted by following him, and getting all information on car type and license plate to the Sheriff’s Office, IMMEDIATELY, which led to his arrest and conviction. What incredible instinct and foresight this person had — A very big moment for JUSTICE IN AMERICA!”
Routh was convicted of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges and represented himself in court.
The 59-year-old did not testify during his trial. In his closing argument, he told jurors he did not intend to kill anyone that day. He rested his case Monday morning after questioning only three witnesses — a firearms expert and two character witnesses, according to The Associated Press.
Routh is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 18.
