Ryan Routh, the 59-year-old man who was found guilty of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump last year, stabbed himself in the neck and attempted to kill himself in court just minutes after receiving his guilty verdict on Tuesday.
The unsettling reaction was reported by several outlets; here is how Fox News reporter Danamarie McNicholl described the scene inside the Florida courtroom:
Now it is quite shocking — as the verdict was read, it appeared to our producers inside the courtroom that Routh tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen. That’s what it appeared to look like. Then four marshals dragged him out of the courtroom, took his coat off; they then shackled him at the waste and ankles, and they brought him back into the courtroom.
The reaction came right after Routh was found guilty on all five charges against him. He is now facing a maximum sentence of life in prison for attempting to kill President Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course in September 2024.
Fox News also reported Routh’s daughter, Sara, had an outburst in the court following the verdict.
“Don’t do anything. I will get you out. What the f*ck, f*ck, he didn’t hurt anybody. This is not fair. This is all rigged — you guys are as*holes,” she yelled.
She then “evaded” the media, McNicholl reported.
Routh was arrested on Sept. 15, 2024, when he was spotted by
The Secret Service agent who found Routh took one shot at him, before Routh ran away and jumped into a black Nissan Xterra. Based on information provided by an eyewitness, Routh was arrested while heading northbound on I-95 by local officers.
Beyond the witness, a large amount of physical and digital evidence tied Routh to the crime. Investigators presented a letter he gave to someone in the months before his assassination attempt, where he said, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, but I am so sorry I failed you.”
You can watch McNicholl’s report on Routh’s attempted suicide above, via Fox News.