WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;wasn’t harmed by Sunday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">apparent assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;as he golfed near his Florida club. But the second attack on his life in barely two months is likely to further unsettle an election cycle already marked by upheaval.

The man suspected in the incident,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-suspect-ukraine-f76ed09f256f6bd21727a10901d92af7">Ryan Wesley Routh</a>, camped outside the golf course in West Palm Beach with food and a rifle for nearly 12 hours, according to court documents filed Monday. He is accused of lying in wait for the former president before a Secret Service agent opened fire, thwarting the potential attack.

Here are five things to know about what happened and where the investigation stands:

Routh, 58, faces charges of possessing a firearm despite a prior felony conviction and of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Additional charges are possible.

The suspect lived in North Carolina for most of his life before moving in 2018 to Kaaawa, Hawaii. He and his son operated a company building sheds, according to an archived version of the webpage for the business.

Routh appeared briefly in federal court in West Palm Beach on Monday. He had frequently posted on social media about the war in Ukraine and had a website where he sought to raise money and recruit volunteers to go to Kyiv to join the fight against the Russian invasion.

“Fight and die to stop aggression,” he posted on X in February 2023 about Ukraine. “Everyone should be outraged and helping.” In a video circulating online Routh said, “This is about good versus evil.”

He also wrote separately on X, “I am going to fight and die for Ukraine,” and he even traveled there.

Video shot by The Associated Press showed Routh at a small demonstration in Kyiv’s Independence Square in April 2022, two months after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of the country. A placard he was holding said: “We cannot tolerate corruption and evil for another 50+ years. End Russia for our kids.” Routh wore a blue vest with the U.S. flag on the back.

That same day, Routh also visited a makeshift memorial to “Foreigners killed by Putin.”

But Routh never served in the Ukrainian army or worked with its military, said Oleksandr Shahuri of the Foreigners Coordination Department of the Ukrainian Ground Forces Command.

Routh's politics, meanwhile, don't appear consistently aligned to one party or the other.

In June 2020, he offered a post on X directed at then-President Trump to say he would win reelection if he issued an executive order for the Justice Department to prosecute police misconduct. That year, he also posted in support of the Democratic presidential campaign of then-U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who has since left the party and endorsed Trump.

However, in recent years, his posts suggest he soured on Trump, and he expressed support for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

In July, following the assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania, Routh urged Biden and Harris to visit those wounded in the shooting at the hospital and to attend the funeral of a former fire chief killed at the rally.

Voter records show he registered as an unaffiliated voter in North Carolina in 2012, most recently voting in person during the state’s Democratic Party primary in March 2024. Federal campaign finance records show Routh made 19 small political donations totaling $140 since 2019 using his Hawaii address through a political action committee that supports Democratic candidates.

Records show that while living in Greensboro, North Carolina, Routh had multiple run-ins with law enforcement. The top FBI official in the Miami, Jeffrey B. Veltri, said Routh has numerous felony charges for stolen goods between 1997 and 2010. He also was the subject of a closed investigation in 2019 when someone reported he was a felon in possession of a firearm, but Veltri said the tipster would not confirm making the report.

Routh was convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction, according to online North Carolina Department of Adult Correction records.

Authorities spotted a firearm poking out of shrubbery on the West Palm Beach golf course around 400 to 500 yards from where Trump was playing. As the former president was moving through the fifth hole's fairway, an agent who was visually sweeping the area of the sixth hole's green saw the subject, armed with what he perceived to be a rifle, and immediately discharged his firearm, said acting Director Ronald Rowe Jr. of the U.S. Secret Service.

Rowe said Routh “did not have a line of sight to the former president” and did not fire at Secret Service agents before fleeing.

Routh sped away before being captured in a neighboring county.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2214283825615030&amp;rdid=5QlCDJr1drAouqI4">Body camera footage</a>&nbsp;of Routh’s arrest showed him walking backward with his hands over his head on the side of a road before being handcuffed and led away.

The suspect is believed to have been positioned at the tree line of the golf course from about 1:59 a.m. to 1:31 p.m. Sunday. A digital camera, a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope and a plastic bag containing food were recovered from the area.

Trump’s protective detail has been higher than some of his peers because of his high visibility and his campaign to seek the White House again. His security was bolstered days before the July 13 assassination attempt in Pennsylvania because of a threat on Trump’s life from Iran, U.S. officials said.

Trump initially posted, “I AM SAFE AND WELL!” and subsequently praised the Secret Service for protecting him.

But the former president pivoted Monday to the politics surrounding the incident, claiming — without evidence — that Biden and Harris comments that he is a threat to democracy had inspired the latest attempt on his life.

“Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at," Trump told Fox News Digital. In a subsequent post on his social media site Monday, Trump wrote that the left “has taken politics in our Country to a whole new level of Hatred, Abuse, and Distrust.” He said “it will only get worse,” then veered into comments about immigration, even though there is no evidence immigrants were involved in the incident.

The former president made those comments despite his own long history of inflammatory campaign rhetoric and advocacy for jailing or prosecuting his political enemies.

Trump hasn't announced any changes to his schedule and spoke live on X on Monday night from his Mar-a-Lago resort. Harris met with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters at the 1.3 million-member group’s headquarters in Washington.

Still, a presidential race already rocked by Biden giving up his reelection bid and the first attack on Trump now is being further shaped by a second one. The leaders of a congressional bipartisan task force investigating Trump's Pennsylvania shooting said they have requested a briefing by the Secret Service.

“We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms,” Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Jason Crow, D-Colo., said in a statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726536262473.png" alt="Ryan Wesley Routh at his arrest -photo Martin County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Ryan Wesley Routh at his arrest -photo Martin County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;wasn’t harmed by Sunday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">apparent assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;as he golfed near his Florida club. But the second attack on his life in barely two months is likely to further unsettle an election cycle already marked by upheaval.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMartinCountySheriffsOffice%2Fvideos%2F1805385979995807%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=7" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The man suspected in the incident,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-suspect-ukraine-f76ed09f256f6bd21727a10901d92af7">Ryan Wesley Routh</a>, camped outside the golf course in West Palm Beach with food and a rifle for nearly 12 hours, according to court documents filed Monday. He is accused of lying in wait for the former president before a Secret Service agent opened fire, thwarting the potential attack.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMartinCountySheriffsOffice%2Fvideos%2F2214283825615030%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Here are five things to know about what happened and where the investigation stands:<h2>Who is the suspect?</h2>Routh, 58, faces charges of possessing a firearm despite a prior felony conviction and of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Additional charges are possible.The suspect lived in North Carolina for most of his life before moving in 2018 to Kaaawa, Hawaii. He and his son operated a company building sheds, according to an archived version of the webpage for the business.Routh appeared briefly in federal court in West Palm Beach on Monday. He had frequently posted on social media about the war in Ukraine and had a website where he sought to raise money and recruit volunteers to go to Kyiv to join the fight against the Russian invasion.“Fight and die to stop aggression,” he posted on X in February 2023 about Ukraine. “Everyone should be outraged and helping.” In a video circulating online Routh said, “This is about good versus evil.”He also wrote separately on X, “I am going to fight and die for Ukraine,” and he even traveled there.Video shot by The Associated Press showed Routh at a small demonstration in Kyiv’s Independence Square in April 2022, two months after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of the country. A placard he was holding said: “We cannot tolerate corruption and evil for another 50+ years. End Russia for our kids.” Routh wore a blue vest with the U.S. flag on the back.That same day, Routh also visited a makeshift memorial to “Foreigners killed by Putin.”But Routh never served in the Ukrainian army or worked with its military, said Oleksandr Shahuri of the Foreigners Coordination Department of the Ukrainian Ground Forces Command.Routh's politics, meanwhile, don't appear consistently aligned to one party or the other.In June 2020, he offered a post on X directed at then-President Trump to say he would win reelection if he issued an executive order for the Justice Department to prosecute police misconduct. That year, he also posted in support of the Democratic presidential campaign of then-U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who has since left the party and endorsed Trump.However, in recent years, his posts suggest he soured on Trump, and he expressed support for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.In July, following the assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania, Routh urged Biden and Harris to visit those wounded in the shooting at the hospital and to attend the funeral of a former fire chief killed at the rally.Voter records show he registered as an unaffiliated voter in North Carolina in 2012, most recently voting in person during the state’s Democratic Party primary in March 2024. Federal campaign finance records show Routh made 19 small political donations totaling $140 since 2019 using his Hawaii address through a political action committee that supports Democratic candidates.Records show that while living in Greensboro, North Carolina, Routh had multiple run-ins with law enforcement. The top FBI official in the Miami, Jeffrey B. Veltri, said Routh has numerous felony charges for stolen goods between 1997 and 2010. He also was the subject of a closed investigation in 2019 when someone reported he was a felon in possession of a firearm, but Veltri said the tipster would not confirm making the report.Routh was convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction, according to online North Carolina Department of Adult Correction records.<h2>How did this happen?</h2>Authorities spotted a firearm poking out of shrubbery on the West Palm Beach golf course around 400 to 500 yards from where Trump was playing. As the former president was moving through the fifth hole's fairway, an agent who was visually sweeping the area of the sixth hole's green saw the subject, armed with what he perceived to be a rifle, and immediately discharged his firearm, said acting Director Ronald Rowe Jr. of the U.S. Secret Service.Rowe said Routh “did not have a line of sight to the former president” and did not fire at Secret Service agents before fleeing.Routh sped away before being captured in a neighboring county.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2214283825615030&amp;rdid=5QlCDJr1drAouqI4">Body camera footage</a>&nbsp;of Routh’s arrest showed him walking backward with his hands over his head on the side of a road before being handcuffed and led away.The suspect is believed to have been positioned at the tree line of the golf course from about 1:59 a.m. to 1:31 p.m. Sunday. A digital camera, a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope and a plastic bag containing food were recovered from the area.Trump’s protective detail has been higher than some of his peers because of his high visibility and his campaign to seek the White House again. His security was bolstered days before the July 13 assassination attempt in Pennsylvania because of a threat on Trump’s life from Iran, U.S. officials said.<h2>What has Trump said since?</h2>Trump initially posted, “I AM SAFE AND WELL!” and subsequently praised the Secret Service for protecting him.But the former president pivoted Monday to the politics surrounding the incident, claiming — without evidence — that Biden and Harris comments that he is a threat to democracy had inspired the latest attempt on his life.“Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at," Trump told Fox News Digital. In a subsequent post on his social media site Monday, Trump wrote that the left “has taken politics in our Country to a whole new level of Hatred, Abuse, and Distrust.” He said “it will only get worse,” then veered into comments about immigration, even though there is no evidence immigrants were involved in the incident.The former president made those comments despite his own long history of inflammatory campaign rhetoric and advocacy for jailing or prosecuting his political enemies.<h2>What’s next?</h2>Trump hasn't announced any changes to his schedule and spoke live on X on Monday night from his Mar-a-Lago resort. Harris met with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters at the 1.3 million-member group’s headquarters in Washington.Still, a presidential race already rocked by Biden giving up his reelection bid and the first attack on Trump now is being further shaped by a second one. The leaders of a congressional bipartisan task force investigating Trump's Pennsylvania shooting said they have requested a briefing by the Secret Service.“We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms,” Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Jason Crow, D-Colo., said in a statement.___

🎥 New bodycam footage of arrest of Trump would-be assassin

By NATE KING Salina Post

A 37-year-old Salina man was arrested on Friday after he allegedly made alarming statements about plans to "shoot up a school" while standing in line at a local Casey's convenience store.

Just after 8 a.m. on Sept. 13,&nbsp; police responded to Casey's at 725 West Schilling Road after a concerned customer called to report a man standing in line making concerning statements.

"The reporting party indicated that they were in the store waiting in line when the suspect allegedly stated that he was running late and had plans to shoot up a school, adding that, 'people were gonna die,'" said SPD Captain James Feldman.

Officers quickly arrived on the scene and located the suspect identified as 37-year-old Johnny Baldwin of Salina. No weapons were found at the scene, and Baldwin did not attempt to flee. He was taken into custody without incident.

Baldwin remains in custody currently on a requested charge of criminal threat.

Police urge the community to remain vigilant and report any concerning behavior they see or hear. SPD Feldman thanked the citizen for making the call.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726407579924.png" alt="Baldwin remains jailed in Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Baldwin remains jailed in Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>By NATE KING Salina PostA 37-year-old Salina man was arrested on Friday after he allegedly made alarming statements about plans to "shoot up a school" while standing in line at a local Casey's convenience store.Just after 8 a.m. on Sept. 13,&nbsp; police responded to Casey's at 725 West Schilling Road after a concerned customer called to report a man standing in line making concerning statements."The reporting party indicated that they were in the store waiting in line when the suspect allegedly stated that he was running late and had plans to shoot up a school, adding that, 'people were gonna die,'" said SPD Captain James Feldman.Officers quickly arrived on the scene and located the suspect identified as 37-year-old Johnny Baldwin of Salina. No weapons were found at the scene, and Baldwin did not attempt to flee. He was taken into custody without incident.Baldwin remains in custody currently on a requested charge of criminal threat.Police urge the community to remain vigilant and report any concerning behavior they see or hear. SPD Feldman thanked the citizen for making the call.

Kansas man accused of making school shooting threat

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a registered sex offender on new allegations.

Just after 3:30p.m. Saturday, police arrested 23-year-old Jamichael Strahan of Junction City on a Riley County District Court warrant for probation violation, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

The original charge in this matter is for aggravated indecent solicitation of a child. 

His bond was set at $25,000. Strahan was out of custody early Monday, according to the RCPD. He has been registered as a sex offender since September of 2022 following convictions in Manhattan for&nbsp;Aggravated indecent solicitation of a child; Sex act with a child &lt;14 in 2020 and 2022, according to the KBI Offender registry.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726500702501.png" alt="Strahan photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Strahan photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a registered sex offender on new allegations.Just after 3:30p.m. Saturday, police arrested 23-year-old Jamichael Strahan of Junction City on a Riley County District Court warrant for probation violation, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.The original charge in this matter is for aggravated indecent solicitation of a child. His bond was set at $25,000. Strahan was out of custody early Monday, according to the RCPD. He has been registered as a sex offender since September of 2022 following convictions in Manhattan for&nbsp;Aggravated indecent solicitation of a child; Sex act with a child &lt;14 in 2020 and 2022, according to the KBI Offender registry.

Junction City sex offender out of jail after accused of new crime

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Christian pastor from California has been freed from China after nearly 20 years behind bars and is back home in the U.S., the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-state">State Department</a>&nbsp;said Monday.

David Lin, 68, was detained after he entered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/china">China</a>&nbsp;in 2006, later convicted of contract fraud and sentenced to life in prison, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and advocacy groups.

“Praise God! We got the call late last night!!! Dad is free and over Alaska now,” the pastor’s daughter, Alice Lin, said by text message Sunday to Bob Fu, a longtime supporter and the founder of China Aid, an U.S.-based advocacy group for persecuted activists in China. Fu shared with The Associated Press a screenshot of the text sent before the Lins reunited.

The Biden administration has been working on David Lin's case and those of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-hostages-wrongfully-detained-joe-biden-0fb40f42130f59dadb783e8a9823d3e1">other wrongly detained Americans</a>&nbsp;in China for years and have raised them at every meeting with senior Chinese officials, including Secretary of State Antony&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-blinken-83a98c83af72335e3f321a375ea26a3c">Blinken’s meeting this summer with Chinese Foreign Minister</a>&nbsp;Wang Yi in Laos. Such meetings aim to keep communication open between Washington and Beijing despite escalating tensions.

“We welcome David Lin's release from prison in the People’s Republic of China. He has returned to the United States and reunited with his family for the first time in nearly 20 years,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.

“We’ll continue to push the release of other Americans," he said. “It’s something that we continue to work on. It’s an important step forward, and we’re going to continue to push for the release of other Americans."

Lin frequently traveled to China in the 1990s to spread the gospel, according to China Aid, which says Lin sought a license from the Chinese government to carry out Christian ministry. It’s unlikely he was granted permission, and he was detained in 2006 when assisting a church not authorized by Chinese officials, the group said.

Lin was formally arrested in 2009 on suspicion of contract fraud and, after a court review, was sentenced to life in prison, China Aid said.

The charge is frequently used against leaders of churches that operate outside state-sponsored faith groups, and it is a crime that Lin denied, according to the Dui Hua Foundation, a humanitarian group that advocates for prisoners in China. The commission on religious freedom says those leading and taking part in churches not sanctioned by the Chinese government “often face intimidation, harassment, arrest and harsh sentences.”

In China, all Christian churches must pledge loyalty to the ruling Communist Party and register with the government. Any unregistered congregation is considered an underground church whose activities are illegal in China. Beijing has always&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/newsom-china-visit-xi-jinping-22316290e39e078f0bb695a250e8658e">cracked down</a>&nbsp;on “unlawful preaching,” and efforts have only intensified in the past decade.

Lin's sentence had been reduced and he had been due for release in April 2030. The commission on religious freedom noted in 2019 that there were reports Lin was in declining health and faced possible threats to his safety in prison.

The Chinese foreign ministry didn't immediately respond to requests for comment about Lin's release.

Other Americans known to remain detained in China include Kai Li, a businessman who is being held on espionage-related charges that his family says are bogus, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-china-diplomacy-jake-sullivan-wang-yi-118132affe809b4fd99c627cb22f8878">Mark Swidan</a>, who was sentenced on drug charges. The State Department’s office of the special presidential envoy on hostage affairs has designated the two as “wrongful detainees,” a label given to Americans jailed in foreign countries for what the U.S. government considers legally specious allegations or for improper motivations.

Nelson Wells Jr. and Dawn Michelle Hunt also are incarcerated in China over drug-related charges, and their families, along with Li's son, will be among those speaking at a congressional hearing Wednesday about Americans held in China.

Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-mccaul">Michael McCaul</a>, the Texas Republican who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he was “extremely glad” Lin was released after 17 years behind bars and called for Li and Swidan to be freed immediately.

Lin's “capture, like so many others, marks a rising trend of hostage diplomacy by authoritarians around the world,” McCaul&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HouseForeignGOP/status/1835429989803758016">said</a>&nbsp;on the social platform X.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726516946080.png" alt="David Lin photo courtesy Hostage Aid Worldwide" />
 <figcaption>David Lin photo courtesy Hostage Aid Worldwide</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A Christian pastor from California has been freed from China after nearly 20 years behind bars and is back home in the U.S., the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-state">State Department</a>&nbsp;said Monday.David Lin, 68, was detained after he entered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/china">China</a>&nbsp;in 2006, later convicted of contract fraud and sentenced to life in prison, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and advocacy groups.“Praise God! We got the call late last night!!! Dad is free and over Alaska now,” the pastor’s daughter, Alice Lin, said by text message Sunday to Bob Fu, a longtime supporter and the founder of China Aid, an U.S.-based advocacy group for persecuted activists in China. Fu shared with The Associated Press a screenshot of the text sent before the Lins reunited.The Biden administration has been working on David Lin's case and those of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-hostages-wrongfully-detained-joe-biden-0fb40f42130f59dadb783e8a9823d3e1">other wrongly detained Americans</a>&nbsp;in China for years and have raised them at every meeting with senior Chinese officials, including Secretary of State Antony&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-blinken-83a98c83af72335e3f321a375ea26a3c">Blinken’s meeting this summer with Chinese Foreign Minister</a>&nbsp;Wang Yi in Laos. Such meetings aim to keep communication open between Washington and Beijing despite escalating tensions.“We welcome David Lin's release from prison in the People’s Republic of China. He has returned to the United States and reunited with his family for the first time in nearly 20 years,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.“We’ll continue to push the release of other Americans," he said. “It’s something that we continue to work on. It’s an important step forward, and we’re going to continue to push for the release of other Americans."Lin frequently traveled to China in the 1990s to spread the gospel, according to China Aid, which says Lin sought a license from the Chinese government to carry out Christian ministry. It’s unlikely he was granted permission, and he was detained in 2006 when assisting a church not authorized by Chinese officials, the group said.Lin was formally arrested in 2009 on suspicion of contract fraud and, after a court review, was sentenced to life in prison, China Aid said.The charge is frequently used against leaders of churches that operate outside state-sponsored faith groups, and it is a crime that Lin denied, according to the Dui Hua Foundation, a humanitarian group that advocates for prisoners in China. The commission on religious freedom says those leading and taking part in churches not sanctioned by the Chinese government “often face intimidation, harassment, arrest and harsh sentences.”In China, all Christian churches must pledge loyalty to the ruling Communist Party and register with the government. Any unregistered congregation is considered an underground church whose activities are illegal in China. Beijing has always&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/newsom-china-visit-xi-jinping-22316290e39e078f0bb695a250e8658e">cracked down</a>&nbsp;on “unlawful preaching,” and efforts have only intensified in the past decade.Lin's sentence had been reduced and he had been due for release in April 2030. The commission on religious freedom noted in 2019 that there were reports Lin was in declining health and faced possible threats to his safety in prison.The Chinese foreign ministry didn't immediately respond to requests for comment about Lin's release.Other Americans known to remain detained in China include Kai Li, a businessman who is being held on espionage-related charges that his family says are bogus, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-china-diplomacy-jake-sullivan-wang-yi-118132affe809b4fd99c627cb22f8878">Mark Swidan</a>, who was sentenced on drug charges. The State Department’s office of the special presidential envoy on hostage affairs has designated the two as “wrongful detainees,” a label given to Americans jailed in foreign countries for what the U.S. government considers legally specious allegations or for improper motivations.Nelson Wells Jr. and Dawn Michelle Hunt also are incarcerated in China over drug-related charges, and their families, along with Li's son, will be among those speaking at a congressional hearing Wednesday about Americans held in China.Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-mccaul">Michael McCaul</a>, the Texas Republican who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he was “extremely glad” Lin was released after 17 years behind bars and called for Li and Swidan to be freed immediately.Lin's “capture, like so many others, marks a rising trend of hostage diplomacy by authoritarians around the world,” McCaul&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HouseForeignGOP/status/1835429989803758016">said</a>&nbsp;on the social platform X.

China releases U.S. pastor after nearly 20 years in prison

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Joe Biden on Monday again decried the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump and said America must work to stop the scourge of political violence.

“America has suffered too many times the tragedy of an assassin’s bullet,” Biden said at the start of an address to the National HBCU Week Conference in Philadelphia. “It solves nothing. It just tears the country apart. We must do everything we can to prevent it and never give it any oxygen.”

The president’s comments came after Trump said, without evidence, that Biden and Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;inspired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">another apparent attempt on his life</a>, deriding their criticism of him as a threat to democracy despite his own long history of inflammatory campaign rhetoric and advocacy for jailing or prosecuting his political enemies.

“Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out,” Trump said in comments to Fox News Digital.

Biden in his speech added that Acting Director Secret Service Ronald Rowe, Jr. was in Florida “assessing what happened and determining whether any further adjustments need to be made to ensure” Trump’s safety.

Justice Department to ‘bring every available resource’ to investigation of apparent assassination attempt, Garland says

Attorney General Merrick Garland says the Justice Department will “work tirelessly to ensure accountability” in the apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump.

Garland said in an emailed statement that the Justice Department will “bring every available resource to bear in this investigation.”

“We are grateful that the former President is safe,” Garland said.

Trump was 'courageous', his golf partner says

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s golf partner on Sunday, says the former president’s reaction to the apparent assassination attempt was “courageous and stoic.”

The real estate investor said Monday in a post on the social platform X that Trump, his “very close friend,” was “concerned about his friends first before thinking of himself,” something Witkoff said exemplified “the truest example of leadership.”

Fox News host Sean Hannity, a close friend of the former president’s, said on air Sunday that he had spoken with Trump and Witkoff, who told him that Secret Service agents “pounced on” Trump and “covered him” to protect him.

Body camera footage shows Routh’s arrest

Body camera footage posted on Facebook Monday shows the arrest of the man suspected in the apparent assassination attempt.

The video posted by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office shows Ryan Routh walking backward with his hands over his head on the side of a road before being handcuffed and led away by law enforcement.

Law enforcement block and search Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach

Local law enforcement was still blocking the palm tree-lined road south of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, as a group of FBI agents were searching Monday near the hedge surrounding the property.

Other investigators were also in the area walking back and forth from their vehicles to the hedge.

Journalists had set up cameras near a gas station facing the property as temperatures were nearing 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

‘There’s no quick fix,’ retired agent says of adding more personnel to the Secret Service

Retired supervisory Secret Service agent Bobby McDonald, now a criminal justice lecturer at the University of New Haven, said Monday that he hopes the agency will analyze the Sunday’s events and take ownership of what went right and what went wrong — and use it to improve as it moves into the home stretch of election season.

He noted that it’s a “very busy time” for the Secret Service with the election going on, more candidates now needing protection and with preparations underway for the United Nations General Assembly. The Secret Service currently has 40 people it’s responsible for protecting fulltime. In addition to Trump and Biden, that list also includes Harris, vice presidential candidates, other former presidents and their families and others.

McDonald cautioned that it can take nine to 18 months to bring on a Secret Service staffer. The service may want to transfer more personnel from the investigative work the agency does to its protective side, McDonald said.

“There is no quick fix,” he said, noting that temporarily bringing in people from outside the agency to help can come with its own challenges because they don’t regularly do protective work.

Former Secret Service agent says there’s an obvious need for more protection for Trump

Anthony Cangelosi, a former Secret Service agent, said the events Sunday show that there’s an obvious need for more personnel assigned to protect former President Trump.

“They could have been utilized to secure the perimeter,” he said.

He said it’s understandable that former presidents like Trump do not have the same level of protection as a sitting president. But, he said, Trump also isn’t like former presidents Obama or Clinton for example. He’s both a former president and a current nominee hoping to return to the White House.

“He’s not your typical former president,” he said.

Cangelosi, who’s currently a lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, questioned whether a request had been made by anyone in the Secret Service for more personnel and if so what happened to that request? And if no requests have been made for more personnel, why not?

Without the resources to secure the entire perimeter, Cangelosi said the Secret Service did the next best thing, which was to have agents going ahead of the president to scout the next locations. He commended the work they did to spot the muzzle of the gun and open fire, saying they were vigilant. But he said there’s always a chance that they could have missed the muzzle. Extra coverage could include roving uniformed personnel outside the perimeter, for example, he said. The goal is to create a presence that serves as a deterrence.

He said the Secret Service doesn’t have the extra personnel but they can be pulled from other agencies.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726517249192.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —President Joe Biden on Monday again decried the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump and said America must work to stop the scourge of political violence.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">From earlier today, President Biden on former President Trump: “Thank God the president is ok...the Service needs more help and I think the Congress should respond to their needs.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/scmdJTqrmi">pic.twitter.com/scmdJTqrmi</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1835734379047338024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“America has suffered too many times the tragedy of an assassin’s bullet,” Biden said at the start of an address to the National HBCU Week Conference in Philadelphia. “It solves nothing. It just tears the country apart. We must do everything we can to prevent it and never give it any oxygen.”The president’s comments came after Trump said, without evidence, that Biden and Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;inspired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">another apparent attempt on his life</a>, deriding their criticism of him as a threat to democracy despite his own long history of inflammatory campaign rhetoric and advocacy for jailing or prosecuting his political enemies.“Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out,” Trump said in comments to Fox News Digital.Biden in his speech added that Acting Director Secret Service Ronald Rowe, Jr. was in Florida “assessing what happened and determining whether any further adjustments need to be made to ensure” Trump’s safety.<h2>Justice Department to ‘bring every available resource’ to investigation of apparent assassination attempt, Garland says</h2>Attorney General Merrick Garland says the Justice Department will “work tirelessly to ensure accountability” in the apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump.Garland said in an emailed statement that the Justice Department will “bring every available resource to bear in this investigation.”“We are grateful that the former President is safe,” Garland said.<h2>Trump was 'courageous', his golf partner says</h2>Steve Witkoff, Trump’s golf partner on Sunday, says the former president’s reaction to the apparent assassination attempt was “courageous and stoic.”The real estate investor said Monday in a post on the social platform X that Trump, his “very close friend,” was “concerned about his friends first before thinking of himself,” something Witkoff said exemplified “the truest example of leadership.”Fox News host Sean Hannity, a close friend of the former president’s, said on air Sunday that he had spoken with Trump and Witkoff, who told him that Secret Service agents “pounced on” Trump and “covered him” to protect him.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726480816341.png" alt="Ryan Wesley Routh takes part in a rally in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)" />
 <figcaption>Ryan Wesley Routh takes part in a rally in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Body camera footage shows Routh’s arrest</h2>Body camera footage posted on Facebook Monday shows the arrest of the man suspected in the apparent assassination attempt.The video posted by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office shows Ryan Routh walking backward with his hands over his head on the side of a road before being handcuffed and led away by law enforcement.<h2>Law enforcement block and search Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach</h2>Local law enforcement was still blocking the palm tree-lined road south of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, as a group of FBI agents were searching Monday near the hedge surrounding the property.Other investigators were also in the area walking back and forth from their vehicles to the hedge.Journalists had set up cameras near a gas station facing the property as temperatures were nearing 90 degrees Fahrenheit.<h2>‘There’s no quick fix,’ retired agent says of adding more personnel to the Secret Service</h2>Retired supervisory Secret Service agent Bobby McDonald, now a criminal justice lecturer at the University of New Haven, said Monday that he hopes the agency will analyze the Sunday’s events and take ownership of what went right and what went wrong — and use it to improve as it moves into the home stretch of election season.He noted that it’s a “very busy time” for the Secret Service with the election going on, more candidates now needing protection and with preparations underway for the United Nations General Assembly. The Secret Service currently has 40 people it’s responsible for protecting fulltime. In addition to Trump and Biden, that list also includes Harris, vice presidential candidates, other former presidents and their families and others.McDonald cautioned that it can take nine to 18 months to bring on a Secret Service staffer. The service may want to transfer more personnel from the investigative work the agency does to its protective side, McDonald said.“There is no quick fix,” he said, noting that temporarily bringing in people from outside the agency to help can come with its own challenges because they don’t regularly do protective work.<h2>Former Secret Service agent says there’s an obvious need for more protection for Trump</h2>Anthony Cangelosi, a former Secret Service agent, said the events Sunday show that there’s an obvious need for more personnel assigned to protect former President Trump.“They could have been utilized to secure the perimeter,” he said.He said it’s understandable that former presidents like Trump do not have the same level of protection as a sitting president. But, he said, Trump also isn’t like former presidents Obama or Clinton for example. He’s both a former president and a current nominee hoping to return to the White House.“He’s not your typical former president,” he said.Cangelosi, who’s currently a lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, questioned whether a request had been made by anyone in the Secret Service for more personnel and if so what happened to that request? And if no requests have been made for more personnel, why not?Without the resources to secure the entire perimeter, Cangelosi said the Secret Service did the next best thing, which was to have agents going ahead of the president to scout the next locations. He commended the work they did to spot the muzzle of the gun and open fire, saying they were vigilant. But he said there’s always a chance that they could have missed the muzzle. Extra coverage could include roving uniformed personnel outside the perimeter, for example, he said. The goal is to create a presence that serves as a deterrence.He said the Secret Service doesn’t have the extra personnel but they can be pulled from other agencies.

🎥President decries 2nd assassination attempt against Trump

SALINE COUNTY —A Mulvane man was arrested on Friday night after a physical altercation with police and security personnel at Salina Central Stadium following the Salina South vs. Maize South football game.&nbsp;

Just after 9:30 p.m., a school resource officer and a security guard were called to remove an adult spectator from the game due to disruptive behavior, according to Salina Police Department (SPD) Captain James Feldman.

A Salina South High School resource officer was approached by Salina South High staff wanting an adult fan from from Maize South removed from the game due to his behavior in the stands,&nbsp; according to Feldman&nbsp;

The suspect, later identified as Jonathan Cordova, 43, of Mulvane, initially complied with the request to leave the stadium but refused to vacate the property entirely, stating he needed to wait for someone.

Feldman could not provide details on the specific behavior that led to Cordova's removal from the stadium.

The officer told Cordova again to leave, and then he refused and proceeded to take steps towards the school resource officer.

The school resource then attempt to apprehend the suspect.

Cordova struck the 38-year-old resource officer multiple times in the head and also punched the 63-year-old security guard. The resource officer sustained a contusion above her left eye and the security guard suffered a head injury.

Attempts to subdue Cordova with a taser were initially unsuccessful, but after a second deployment, the taser was effective and he was taken into custody.

Cordova was booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, battery on a security guard, criminal trespass, and disorderly conduct, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726408012123.png" alt="Cordova photo Saline County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Cordova photo Saline County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —A Mulvane man was arrested on Friday night after a physical altercation with police and security personnel at Salina Central Stadium following the Salina South vs. Maize South football game.&nbsp;Just after 9:30 p.m., a school resource officer and a security guard were called to remove an adult spectator from the game due to disruptive behavior, according to Salina Police Department (SPD) Captain James Feldman.A Salina South High School resource officer was approached by Salina South High staff wanting an adult fan from from Maize South removed from the game due to his behavior in the stands,&nbsp; according to Feldman&nbsp;The suspect, later identified as Jonathan Cordova, 43, of Mulvane, initially complied with the request to leave the stadium but refused to vacate the property entirely, stating he needed to wait for someone.Feldman could not provide details on the specific behavior that led to Cordova's removal from the stadium.The officer told Cordova again to leave, and then he refused and proceeded to take steps towards the school resource officer.The school resource then attempt to apprehend the suspect.Cordova struck the 38-year-old resource officer multiple times in the head and also punched the 63-year-old security guard. The resource officer sustained a contusion above her left eye and the security guard suffered a head injury.Attempts to subdue Cordova with a taser were initially unsuccessful, but after a second deployment, the taser was effective and he was taken into custody.Cordova was booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, battery on a security guard, criminal trespass, and disorderly conduct, according to online jail records.

Kan. school resource officer injured during incident at football game

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.

Jose Mendez Arce, Failure to appear, arrested 09/12

Jessie Harris Jr,&nbsp;Failure to appear, arrested 09/12

Dwayne Reid, Unlawful damage to property, arrested 09/13

Brandon Richardson, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, Possession of controlled substance, arrested 09/13

Marcus Grant, Outside warrant (Two counts), arrested 09/13

April Smallwood, Domestic battery, arrested 09/13

Freida Luna, Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license, arrested 09/13

Precious Latimore, DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 09/14

Derek Helton, Arrest by LEO, Warrant arrest, arrested 09/14

Togafau Aiefti, Failure to appear, arrested 09/15

Sharton Ngirakleu, Driving while license canceled, suspended or revoked, Arrest by LEO, Warrant arrest, arrested 09/15

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726503722133.jpeg" alt="Jesse Bailey, Parole violation, arrested 09/13" />
 <figcaption>Jesse Bailey, Parole violation, arrested 09/13</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726503753300.jpeg" alt="Damani Bisio, Failure to appear, arrested 09/14" />
 <figcaption>Damani Bisio, Failure to appear, arrested 09/14</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726503784998.jpeg" alt="Cheryl Williams, Failure to appear, arrested 09/14" />
 <figcaption>Cheryl Williams, Failure to appear, arrested 09/14</figcaption>
 </figure>Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.Jose Mendez Arce, Failure to appear, arrested 09/12Jessie Harris Jr,&nbsp;Failure to appear, arrested 09/12Dwayne Reid, Unlawful damage to property, arrested 09/13Brandon Richardson, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, Possession of controlled substance, arrested 09/13Marcus Grant, Outside warrant (Two counts), arrested 09/13April Smallwood, Domestic battery, arrested 09/13Freida Luna, Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license, arrested 09/13Precious Latimore, DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 09/14Derek Helton, Arrest by LEO, Warrant arrest, arrested 09/14Togafau Aiefti, Failure to appear, arrested 09/15Sharton Ngirakleu, Driving while license canceled, suspended or revoked, Arrest by LEO, Warrant arrest, arrested 09/15Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Geary County Booking Photos Sept. 13-16

GEARY COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in connection with a fatal crash in March that killed a police officer&nbsp; on his way home from work.

In August, 19-year-old Gage Kaiser was charged with involuntary manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and aggravated battery, according to the&nbsp;the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office. .

The accident occurred just before 3:30a.m. March 16, when a passenger vehicle driven by 26-year-old Scott Hollingsworth was southbound on U.S. 81 at 119th Street, according to Sumner County Sheriff's Lt. Mike Friday. A westbound pickup struck the vehicle driven by Hollingsworth.&nbsp;

Hollingsworth was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported three passengers in the pickup to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The pickup driver later identified as Kaiser was not injured.

Clearwater PD said Hollingsworth had served the department for a year.

On Sept. 10, Geary County deputies arrested Kaiser. He&nbsp;remains in the Geary County Detention Facility on a $200,000 bond.

The accident occurred just before 3:30a.m. March 16, when a passenger vehicle driven by 26-year-old Scott Hollingsworth was southbound on U.S. 81 at 119th Street, according to Friday. A westbound pickup struck the vehicle driven by Hollingsworth.&nbsp;

Hollingsworth was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported three passengers in the pickup to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The pickup driver was not injured, according to Friday.

Hollingsworth's survivors included his wife, Hadley, daughter, Claire, parents, Greg and Nataly, and siblings, Jordan and Sydney.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726259901569.png" alt="Kaiser-photo Geary Co." />
 <figcaption>Kaiser-photo Geary Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in connection with a fatal crash in March that killed a police officer&nbsp; on his way home from work.In August, 19-year-old Gage Kaiser was charged with involuntary manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and aggravated battery, according to the&nbsp;the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office. .<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710681634704.png" alt="Officer Scott Hollingsworth-photo city of Clearwater" />
 <figcaption>Officer Scott Hollingsworth-photo city of Clearwater</figcaption>
 </figure>The accident occurred just before 3:30a.m. March 16, when a passenger vehicle driven by 26-year-old Scott Hollingsworth was southbound on U.S. 81 at 119th Street, according to Sumner County Sheriff's Lt. Mike Friday. A westbound pickup struck the vehicle driven by Hollingsworth.&nbsp;Hollingsworth was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported three passengers in the pickup to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The pickup driver later identified as Kaiser was not injured.Clearwater PD said Hollingsworth had served the department for a year.On Sept. 10, Geary County deputies arrested Kaiser. He&nbsp;remains in the Geary County Detention Facility on a $200,000 bond.The accident occurred just before 3:30a.m. March 16, when a passenger vehicle driven by 26-year-old Scott Hollingsworth was southbound on U.S. 81 at 119th Street, according to Friday. A westbound pickup struck the vehicle driven by Hollingsworth.&nbsp;Hollingsworth was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported three passengers in the pickup to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The pickup driver was not injured, according to Friday.Hollingsworth's survivors included his wife, Hadley, daughter, Claire, parents, Greg and Nataly, and siblings, Jordan and Sydney.&nbsp;

Fort Riley man charged in crash that killed police officer

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is safe following what the FBI says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">"appears to be an attempted assassination”</a>&nbsp;while playing golf two months after another attempt on his life at a rally in Pennsylvania.

Members of the Kansas congressional delegation made comments on the assassination attempt on social media.

Local authorities said the U.S. Secret Service agents protecting Trump fired at a man pointing an AK-style rifle with a scope as Trump was playing on one of his Florida golf courses in West Palm Beach.

Here are five things to know about what happened Sunday to the Republican presidential nominee.

Law enforcement officials said the man who pointed the rifle and was arrested is Ryan Wesley Routh. The officials identified the suspect to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.

The suspect dropped the weapon and fled in an SUV and was later taken into custody in a neighboring county, authorities said. A motive is unclear. Local authorities said the gunman had two backpacks hanging on a fence and a GoPro camera.

Routh was convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction, according to North Carolina Department of Adult Correction online records.

The records do not provide details about the case. But a&nbsp;<a href="https://greensboro.com/article_3006b4f9-9370-5b08-a54e-46c87faf6cbe.html">News &amp; Record</a>&nbsp;story from 2002 says a man with the same name was arrested after a three-hour standoff with police. The story says he was pulled over during a traffic stop, put his hand on a gun and barricaded himself inside a roofing business. Routh was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possessing a weapon of mass destruction, “referring to a fully automatic machine gun,” according to the News &amp; Record.

Local authorities said the gunman was about 400 yards to 500 yards away from Trump and hiding in shrubbery while the former president was playing a round of golf at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.

Ric Bradshaw, sheriff of Palm Beach County, said that when people get into the shrubbery around the course, “they’re pretty much out of sight.” Bradshaw said the entire golf course would have been lined with law enforcement if Trump were the sitting president, but because he’s not, “security is limited to the areas the Secret Service deems possible.”

Trump’s protective detail has been higher than some of his peers because of his high visibility and his campaign to seek the White House again. His security was bolstered days before the July assassination attempt in Pennsylvania because of a threat on Trump’s life from Iran, U.S. officials said.

In an email to supporters, Trump said: “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!”

His running mate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>, and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said they spoke with Trump after the incident, and both said he was in “good spirits.” Trump also checked in with several Fox News hosts.

Fox News host Sean Hannity, a close friend of the former president's, said on air that he spoke with Trump and his golf partner, Steve Witkoff, afterward. They told Hannity they had been on the fifth hole when they heard a “pop pop, pop pop.” Within seconds, he said Witkoff recounted, Secret Service agents “pounced on” Trump and “covered him” to protect him.

Moments later, Witkoff said, a “fast cart” with steel reinforcement and other protection was able to whisk Trump away.

Hannity said Trump’s reaction after this happened — and when it was clear that everyone, including Witkoff, was safe — was to quip that he was sad he hadn’t been able to finish the hole since he “was even and had a birdie putt.”

What is Vice President Kamala Harris saying?

Harris, Trump's Democratic opponent in the presidential election, posted on X that she had been briefed on the reports of gunshots fired.

“I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America.”

The White House said President Joe Biden and Harris would be kept updated on the investigation. The White House added it was “relieved” to know Trump is safe.

Trump has not announced any changes to his schedule and is set to speak live on X on Monday night from his Mar-a-Lago resort to launch his sons’ crypto platform.

Meanwhile, the leaders of a congressional bipartisan task force investigating the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump said they have requested a briefing by the Secret Service.

“We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms,” Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., said in a statement. They said the task force will share updates.

U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat who is part of the task force, said he “will seek answers about what happened today and then.”

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is safe following what the FBI says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">"appears to be an attempted assassination”</a>&nbsp;while playing golf two months after another attempt on his life at a rally in Pennsylvania.Members of the Kansas congressional delegation made comments on the assassination attempt on social media.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Glad to hear President Trump is safe. Thank you to our law enforcement officers for acting quickly to ensure safety.&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1835451226890326425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am grateful that President Trump is safe and that no one was harmed in today’s shooting. May God bless President Trump and continue to watch over him and his family.&mdash; Tracey Mann (@RepMann) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMann/status/1835418308700467215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I&#39;m grateful that President Trump has survived yet another apparent assassination attempt. This shouldn&#39;t be happening in the United States of America – we make our voices heard at the ballot box. Our constitutional republic works through voting, not through violence.&mdash; Rep. Ron Estes (@RepRonEstes) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRonEstes/status/1835463185127645599?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am glad to hear President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> is safe. Continuing our prayers for him, his family, and everyone involved. <a href="https://t.co/BjGmcutxQ8">https://t.co/BjGmcutxQ8</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1835409165382021208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I thank God that President Trump is safe following yesterday’s assassination attempt in Florida. Thank you to the law enforcement officers who acted swiftly and apprehended the suspect. 1/2&mdash; Rep. Jake LaTurner (@RepLaTurner) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepLaTurner/status/1835704324229382341?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Local authorities said the U.S. Secret Service agents protecting Trump fired at a man pointing an AK-style rifle with a scope as Trump was playing on one of his Florida golf courses in West Palm Beach.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Statement from President Biden <a href="https://t.co/F3qMyF2qdX">pic.twitter.com/F3qMyF2qdX</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1835479688099119569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Here are five things to know about what happened Sunday to the Republican presidential nominee.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726480816341.png" alt="Ryan Wesley Routh takes part in a rally in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)" />
 <figcaption>Ryan Wesley Routh takes part in a rally in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Who is the suspect?</h2>Law enforcement officials said the man who pointed the rifle and was arrested is Ryan Wesley Routh. The officials identified the suspect to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726432346578.png" alt="Sheriff's Deputies stop the suspect-photo Martin County Florida Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Sheriff's Deputies stop the suspect-photo Martin County Florida Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect dropped the weapon and fled in an SUV and was later taken into custody in a neighboring county, authorities said. A motive is unclear. Local authorities said the gunman had two backpacks hanging on a fence and a GoPro camera.Routh was convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction, according to North Carolina Department of Adult Correction online records.The records do not provide details about the case. But a&nbsp;<a href="https://greensboro.com/article_3006b4f9-9370-5b08-a54e-46c87faf6cbe.html">News &amp; Record</a>&nbsp;story from 2002 says a man with the same name was arrested after a three-hour standoff with police. The story says he was pulled over during a traffic stop, put his hand on a gun and barricaded himself inside a roofing business. Routh was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possessing a weapon of mass destruction, “referring to a fully automatic machine gun,” according to the News &amp; Record.<h2>How did this happen?</h2>Local authorities said the gunman was about 400 yards to 500 yards away from Trump and hiding in shrubbery while the former president was playing a round of golf at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726442796445.png" alt="Photos of the AK-47 rifle, a backpack and a Go-Pro camera on a fence outside Trump International Golf Club taken after an apparent assassination attempt on the former President Donald Trump, are displayed by West Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw during a news conference at the Palm Beach County Main Library.-image West Palm Beach Police" />
 <figcaption>Photos of the AK-47 rifle, a backpack and a Go-Pro camera on a fence outside Trump International Golf Club taken after an apparent assassination attempt on the former President Donald Trump, are displayed by West Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw during a news conference at the Palm Beach County Main Library.-image West Palm Beach Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Ric Bradshaw, sheriff of Palm Beach County, said that when people get into the shrubbery around the course, “they’re pretty much out of sight.” Bradshaw said the entire golf course would have been lined with law enforcement if Trump were the sitting president, but because he’s not, “security is limited to the areas the Secret Service deems possible.”Trump’s protective detail has been higher than some of his peers because of his high visibility and his campaign to seek the White House again. His security was bolstered days before the July assassination attempt in Pennsylvania because of a threat on Trump’s life from Iran, U.S. officials said.<h2>What has Trump said since the attempt?</h2>In an email to supporters, Trump said: “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!”His running mate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>, and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said they spoke with Trump after the incident, and both said he was in “good spirits.” Trump also checked in with several Fox News hosts.Fox News host Sean Hannity, a close friend of the former president's, said on air that he spoke with Trump and his golf partner, Steve Witkoff, afterward. They told Hannity they had been on the fifth hole when they heard a “pop pop, pop pop.” Within seconds, he said Witkoff recounted, Secret Service agents “pounced on” Trump and “covered him” to protect him.Moments later, Witkoff said, a “fast cart” with steel reinforcement and other protection was able to whisk Trump away.Hannity said Trump’s reaction after this happened — and when it was clear that everyone, including Witkoff, was safe — was to quip that he was sad he hadn’t been able to finish the hole since he “was even and had a birdie putt.”<h2>What is Vice President Kamala Harris saying?</h2>Harris, Trump's Democratic opponent in the presidential election, posted on X that she had been briefed on the reports of gunshots fired.“I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America.”The White House said President Joe Biden and Harris would be kept updated on the investigation. The White House added it was “relieved” to know Trump is safe.<h2>What’s next?</h2>Trump has not announced any changes to his schedule and is set to speak live on X on Monday night from his Mar-a-Lago resort to launch his sons’ crypto platform.Meanwhile, the leaders of a congressional bipartisan task force investigating the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump said they have requested a briefing by the Secret Service.“We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms,” Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., said in a statement. They said the task force will share updates.U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat who is part of the task force, said he “will seek answers about what happened today and then.”

Kan. lawmakers issue statements on Trump 2nd assassination attempt

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a deadly shooting in Kansas City have identified the victim as 36-year-old Michael D. Porter, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

Just before 10p.m. Sept. 12, police officers dispatched to the 6300 block of&nbsp;Manchester&nbsp;Avenue on a reported shooting. When officers arrived on scene, they were directed inside of an apartment where they located Porter who was unresponsive and suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. 

Officers checked him for any signs of life and were unable to locate a pulse. EMS personnel arrived shortly after and declared him deceased at the scene.

Preliminary investigation indicates Porter and an adult male suspect were involved in a verbal altercation that escalated into shots being fired.&nbsp; 

The suspect left the scene prior to officer arrival. Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a deadly shooting in Kansas City have identified the victim as 36-year-old Michael D. Porter, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.Just before 10p.m. Sept. 12, police officers dispatched to the 6300 block of&nbsp;Manchester&nbsp;Avenue on a reported shooting. When officers arrived on scene, they were directed inside of an apartment where they located Porter who was unresponsive and suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. Officers checked him for any signs of life and were unable to locate a pulse. EMS personnel arrived shortly after and declared him deceased at the scene.Preliminary investigation indicates Porter and an adult male suspect were involved in a verbal altercation that escalated into shots being fired.&nbsp; The suspect left the scene prior to officer arrival. Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

KCPD: Verbal altercation at apartment led to man's murder

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.&nbsp;

Just&nbsp;after 11 a.m. September 10, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Nissan Altima for a traffic violation on U.S. Highway 75 and 142nd Road in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

During the traffic stop, cocaine was located in the vehicle.  The driver, Dustin James Spooner, 39, of Topeka, was arrested on requested charges of possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving without a license.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725995571412.png" alt="Spooner-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Spooner-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.&nbsp;Just&nbsp;after 11 a.m. September 10, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Nissan Altima for a traffic violation on U.S. Highway 75 and 142nd Road in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.During the traffic stop, cocaine was located in the vehicle. The driver, Dustin James Spooner, 39, of Topeka, was arrested on requested charges of possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving without a license.

Kansas deputy found cocaine during traffic stop

RENO COUNTY— A Kansas felon is going back to prison after sentenced for a violent knife attack in May.

On Friday, 26-year-old Briantey L. Baskin was sentenced to 620 months for attempted murder in the first degree, 41 months for aggravated battery, 12 months for aggravated assault and six months for criminal threat, according to the Reno County District Attorney's office.

The attempted murder and battery charges will be served concurrently, while the assault and criminal threat charges will be served consecutively.

Baskin pleaded guilty on Aug. 15 to all four charges.

On May, 9, police were dispatched to 1st Avenue and Main Street in Hutchinson for a disturbance, according to a media release from Police Capt. Dayton Gates. When officers arrived on scene, they located a man with a laceration to his body. Another victim reported a man threatening him with a knife during the same incident.

The injured victim was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment. Police arrested&nbsp; Baskin in connection with the crime.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715273871315.png" alt="Baskin has a 2023 conviction for criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections. " />
 <figcaption>Baskin has a 2023 conviction for criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections. </figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY— A Kansas felon is going back to prison after sentenced for a violent knife attack in May.On Friday, 26-year-old Briantey L. Baskin was sentenced to 620 months for attempted murder in the first degree, 41 months for aggravated battery, 12 months for aggravated assault and six months for criminal threat, according to the Reno County District Attorney's office.The attempted murder and battery charges will be served concurrently, while the assault and criminal threat charges will be served consecutively.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715264701275.jpeg" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation in May Photo by Nick Gosnell." />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation in May Photo by Nick Gosnell.</figcaption>
 </figure>Baskin pleaded guilty on Aug. 15 to all four charges.On May, 9, police were dispatched to 1st Avenue and Main Street in Hutchinson for a disturbance, according to a media release from Police Capt. Dayton Gates. When officers arrived on scene, they located a man with a laceration to his body. Another victim reported a man threatening him with a knife during the same incident.The injured victim was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment. Police arrested&nbsp; Baskin in connection with the crime.---

Kansas felon going back to prison for violent knife attack 

On Friday, Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir wrote about the sentencing of the suspect in a cold case murder in Barton County.

BARTON COUNTY —On January 24, 1980, Mary Robin Walter was found murdered in her home west of the city of Great Bend in Nelson Trailer Park near the airport.

 She was 23 years of age at the time. She had been shot multiple times by an unknown assailant. A 22-caliber handgun, later confirmed to be the murder weapon, was recovered at the scene. 

The Sheriff’s Office investigated the case with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and assistance from the Great Bend Police Department. Suspects were developed and interviewed but no conclusive evidence was discovered. 

One of the suspects was identified as Steven Hanks, who was a neighbor to the Walters’ family at the time of the homicide. He was 25 years of age at the time.Over the years, dozens of law enforcement officers looked at the case to no avail. In mid-2022 I was approached by Detective Sgt. Adam Hales to reopen the case using new techniques and technology that were now available at the time of the murder.

 In all honesty, it was with some degree of skepticism that I authorized the expenditure of manpower and resources. Hales along with Lieutenant Paden, Detective Travis Doze and Detective Brian Volkel reopened the case looking at it with new eyes.

The first order of business was to consolidate the hundreds of documents accumulated over 40 years into an organized case file. Many interviews had been conducted decades apart, some documents were missing. Eventually, everything was indexed and consolidated. Under the direction of Sgt. Hales, evidence was re-examined and submitted for testing including DNA.(no DNA was found) 

Numerous interviews were conducted.Detectives from the Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Bureau of investigation and the Great Bend Police Department all assisted.  Many of the witnesses as well as law enforcement officers that were originally involved in the case had died and interviews were not possible.

Eventually, by late 2022 an affidavit was presented to the District Court and an arrest warrant for Steven Hanks was issued. Hanks was arrested on December 8,2022 and charged with murder and second-degree.

The Kansas Atty. Gen.’s Office prosecuted the case represented by Associate Deputy Atty. Gen. Jessica Domme.&nbsp; On April 15, 2024, Hanks was bound over on a charge of second-degree murder in a preliminary hearing. 

By August 8, 2024, a plea agreement was reached, sentencing was scheduled for September 12, 2024. The agreement that was reached under the 1980 Kansas Statutes was for a sentence of not less than 5 years and not more than 25 years. 

At the sentencing hearing Barton County District Court Judge Hon. Steve Johnson departed upward from the plea agreement and sentenced Hanks to not less than 10 years and not more than 25 years. 

Hanks remains in the custody of the Sheriff’s Office and will be released to the Kansas Department of Corrections upon receipt of the necessary paperwork. We believe this is the oldest cold case in the State of Kansas to be solved and result in a conviction. From the date of the homicide to the sentencing was 44 years, 7 months and 19 days.

On a personal note, I was 18 years old and a senior in high school when this homicide occurred. I remember it well. By 1982 I had started with the Sheriff’s Office as a reserve deputy and have been associated with the Barton County Sheriff’s Office ever since. 

 I worked for the four Sheriff’s that preceded me and this homicide has haunted all of us.  It bothers me that many of the people who were so affected by this tragic crime have since passed away prior to bringing the suspect to justice. I consider myself fortunate that I had the resources and the diligent personnel to close this case. The credit for solving this homicide goes to the dedicated officers that had the tenacity to bring it to a conviction.The Sheriff’s Office wishes to thank the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Great Bend Police Department as well as the Office of the Kansas Atty. Gen. for their assistance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670617705007.jpeg" alt="File photo Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir at a press conference announcing the arrest of Steven Hanks, who was charged with the 1980 murder of Mary Robin Walter." />
 <figcaption>File photo Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir at a press conference announcing the arrest of Steven Hanks, who was charged with the 1980 murder of Mary Robin Walter.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Friday, Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir wrote about the sentencing of the suspect in a cold case murder in Barton County.BARTON COUNTY —On January 24, 1980, Mary Robin Walter was found murdered in her home west of the city of Great Bend in Nelson Trailer Park near the airport.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670608379475.png" alt="Mary Robin Walter courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Mary Robin Walter courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure> She was 23 years of age at the time. She had been shot multiple times by an unknown assailant. A 22-caliber handgun, later confirmed to be the murder weapon, was recovered at the scene. The Sheriff’s Office investigated the case with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and assistance from the Great Bend Police Department. Suspects were developed and interviewed but no conclusive evidence was discovered. One of the suspects was identified as Steven Hanks, who was a neighbor to the Walters’ family at the time of the homicide. He was 25 years of age at the time.Over the years, dozens of law enforcement officers looked at the case to no avail. In mid-2022 I was approached by Detective Sgt. Adam Hales to reopen the case using new techniques and technology that were now available at the time of the murder. In all honesty, it was with some degree of skepticism that I authorized the expenditure of manpower and resources. Hales along with Lieutenant Paden, Detective Travis Doze and Detective Brian Volkel reopened the case looking at it with new eyes.The first order of business was to consolidate the hundreds of documents accumulated over 40 years into an organized case file. Many interviews had been conducted decades apart, some documents were missing. Eventually, everything was indexed and consolidated. Under the direction of Sgt. Hales, evidence was re-examined and submitted for testing including DNA.(no DNA was found) Numerous interviews were conducted.Detectives from the Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Bureau of investigation and the Great Bend Police Department all assisted. Many of the witnesses as well as law enforcement officers that were originally involved in the case had died and interviews were not possible.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670609613326.jpeg" alt="Hanks photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Hanks photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Eventually, by late 2022 an affidavit was presented to the District Court and an arrest warrant for Steven Hanks was issued. Hanks was arrested on December 8,2022 and charged with murder and second-degree.The Kansas Atty. Gen.’s Office prosecuted the case represented by Associate Deputy Atty. Gen. Jessica Domme.&nbsp; On April 15, 2024, Hanks was bound over on a charge of second-degree murder in a preliminary hearing. By August 8, 2024, a plea agreement was reached, sentencing was scheduled for September 12, 2024. The agreement that was reached under the 1980 Kansas Statutes was for a sentence of not less than 5 years and not more than 25 years. At the sentencing hearing Barton County District Court Judge Hon. Steve Johnson departed upward from the plea agreement and sentenced Hanks to not less than 10 years and not more than 25 years. Hanks remains in the custody of the Sheriff’s Office and will be released to the Kansas Department of Corrections upon receipt of the necessary paperwork. We believe this is the oldest cold case in the State of Kansas to be solved and result in a conviction. From the date of the homicide to the sentencing was 44 years, 7 months and 19 days.On a personal note, I was 18 years old and a senior in high school when this homicide occurred. I remember it well. By 1982 I had started with the Sheriff’s Office as a reserve deputy and have been associated with the Barton County Sheriff’s Office ever since. I worked for the four Sheriff’s that preceded me and this homicide has haunted all of us. It bothers me that many of the people who were so affected by this tragic crime have since passed away prior to bringing the suspect to justice. I consider myself fortunate that I had the resources and the diligent personnel to close this case. The credit for solving this homicide goes to the dedicated officers that had the tenacity to bring it to a conviction.The Sheriff’s Office wishes to thank the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Great Bend Police Department as well as the Office of the Kansas Atty. Gen. for their assistance.