Ryan Wesley Routh, the man suspected of planning to assassinate former president Donald Trump on Sunday, made his first appearance in federal court Monday morning. Fox News reports Routh appeared to be in good humour prior to the court proceedings beginning. “Routh, wearing jail scrubs and shackles on his wrists and ankles, walked into court and smiled and laughed about three to four times as he was speaking to his court-appointed attorney before the hearing began,” Fox News reported, adding no cameras were permitted inside the courtroom for the appearance. Routh has been charged with two counts, possession of a firearm while a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. “Authorities suspect Routh, who owns a small construction company in Hawaii, was planning to attack the former president as he played a round of golf on Sunday,” reports CNN. “Routh had criticized Trump on social media and is a staunch supporter a of Ukraine.” Early Sunday afternoon, a Secret Service detail travelling one hole ahead of Trump on the golf course, spotted the barrel of a rifle protruding from the bushes on the edge of the fairway. An agent fired approximately four shots at Routh, who fled the scene but was later apprehended after being stopped on a highway. Police found an AK-47 rifle, backpacks filled with ceramic tiles and a GoPro camera set up to film the shooting, officials said. .“Routh appeared fully engaged and answered all the questions from the judge during the about 10-minute-long hearing Monday,” reports CNN. “A detention hearing is set for September 23 and he will be formally arraigned on September 30." Routh could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the first charge, and a possible five-year sentence on the second charge, officials said. “The initial gun-related charges were filed as prosecutors are seeking to keep Routh detained while authorities continue to investigate what the FBI has said appears to be an attempted assassination,” said CNN, adding additional charges could be brought against Routh.
