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Florida shooting: FBI probing ‘attempted assassination’ of Trump

Trump is reported to be safe following gunshots fired in his vicinity at Trump National Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says it is investigating an incident involving a gunman at former president Donald Trump’s golf course in Florida as an apparent “attempted assassination.”

Trump's campaign has reported gunshots in the vicinity of the Republican presidential candidate but said he was safe.

"President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity. No further details at this time," a statement from his campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said on Sunday.

The FBI said Sunday it “is investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump.”

Agents from the US Secret Service, tasked with protecting presidents, former presidents and other dignitaries, opened fire after seeing a person with a firearm near Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, while he was golfing there, two law enforcement officials told the Associated Press.

The shooting took place on the grounds of the golf course, and a "person of interest" has been detained along with a weapon, the New York Times reported, citing local law enforcement officials.

Trump had been accompanied at the time by his Secret Service protective detail when shots were fired.

A weapon, reportedly an AK-47-style rifle, was recovered, reports said. 

Fox News host Sean Hannity told viewers that he had spoken to Trump following the gunfire and confirmed that he was “safe and unharmed.”

Hannity added that “Secret Service pounced on the president, covered him, you had snipers with tripods.”

“They knew the direction where the shots had been fired and they had eyes on the location where the shots had been fired,” Hannity said.

According to media reports, Trump had been golfing at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, near his Mar-a-Lago residence.

It was unclear who had fired the shots, and there was no immediate indication that Trump had been targeted.

The White House said Sunday that US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were "relieved" to know that Trump was safe.

"The president and vice president have been briefed about the security incident at the Trump International Golf Course, where former President Trump was golfing. They are relieved to know that he is safe," the White House said.


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