Donald Trump is ‘safe’ after gunfire near his golf course in Florida
Former President Donald Trump is safe following a shooting “on his property”, his campaign said, following an incident near his golf club in Florida on Sunday.
Secret Service agents saw a man pointing a gun at a golf course where Trump appeared to be at the time, law enforcement sources told the BBC in the US and CBS News.
The police fired several shots at the suspect, who tried to escape, the sources said, adding that the suspect is in custody and the weapon has been recovered.
In an email to his supporters, Trump said he was “safe and well” after the gunfire at his residence.
“Nothing will hold me back,” he wrote. “I will never surrender!”
The incident happened nearly two months after a gunman tried to kill Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, hitting him in the ear.
The Secret Service confirmed in a post to X that they were investigating a “self-defense incident” involving Trump that occurred shortly before 14:00 EST (19:00 BST) on Sunday.
The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed on the incident they said took place at the Trump International Golf Course, “where former President Trump was playing golf”.
“They’re relieved to know you’re safe. They’ll be kept up to date with their team,” the White House said.
Harris posted to X that he was informed of the matter and was glad that Trump was unharmed. “Violence has no place in America,” he wrote.
The BBC has contacted the US Secret Service, the West Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office and the Trump campaign for more information.
Trump was injured while addressing a crowd in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13 when a gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, shot him with an AR-15-style rifle from the roof of a nearby building.
The incident left one audience member dead, and Crooks, 20, was killed at the scene by a Secret Service sniper.
The Secret Service has faced intense scrutiny over whether the shooter in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was able to open fire on the former president.
The director of this organization, Kimberly Cheatle, resigned within two weeks of this incident.
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