Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump is “safe and unharmed” after U.S. Secret Service agents opened fire when they saw a person with a firearm at the Trump International Golf Course west of Palm Beach, home to the former president’s Mar-a-Lago Resort. Law enforcement officials said the gunman was in some brush near the golf course’s property line when Secret Service agents, who were clearing holes for Trump’s play area, saw a gun barrel in the brush.

Officers confronted the shooter and fired at least four rounds of ammunition around 1:30 p.m. local timeThe gunman then dropped his rifle, two backpacks and other belongings and fled in a black Nissan vehicle. A witness, the sheriff said, spotted the gunman and was able to take photos of his car and license plate. In a news conference, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said a male suspect had been detained by authorities. Bradshaw said the suspect was relatively calm. The gunman was spotted about 300 to 500 yards from where Trump was playing, Secret Service officials said.

The FBI called the incident “what appears to be an attempted assassination of the former president.” According to the FBI and other law enforcement officials, the suspect had an AK-47 rifle with a scope and a GoPro camera, apparently intended to take footage, and two backpacks containing ceramic tiles.

The suspect who was arrested was named Ryan Wesley Rouththree law enforcement officials told the Associated Press. Fox News and CNN also reported the same name, citing law enforcement sources. Authorities have not publicly identified the suspect. The Guardian has not independently confirmed this.

In an email to his supporters, Trump said, “There were gunshots in my area, but before the rumors get out of hand, I want you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!” He added: “Nothing will stop me. I will NEVER SURRENDER!” Trump was injured in an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania on July 13.

The White House said in a statement that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had been briefed on the incident and were relieved to hear that Trump is safe. “Violence has no place in America,” Harris said in a social media post. Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz released a statement, which he posted on X: “Gwen and I are happy to hear that Donald Trump is safe. Violence has no place in our country. It is not who we are as a nation.”

Trump’s running mate in the presidential election, US Senator JD Vancesaid he spoke with Trump after the shooting and that the former president was in good spirits. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of Trump’s key allies in Congress, said he spoke with the former president after the incident and that Trump was in “good spirits” and “one of the strongest people I’ve ever known.”