American Ryan Routh, who attempted to assassinate former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left a note with the phrase “I failed you” at his friend’s house, The New York Times reported, citing materials released by prosecutors.
Routh, 58, was arrested on September 15 when he fled in a car from the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
A Secret Service agent opened fire on him after spotting a rifle peeking out from behind a tree line a few holes ahead of Trump, the government alleges in a preliminary court filing.
The newspaper cited a document submitted to the court by the prosecution for Routh’s sentencing hearing. The state prosecution intends to use the document among arguments that the defendant in the case should not be released. Prosecutor for the Southern District of Florida Markenzie Lapointe said in the motion:
On September 18, law enforcement was contacted by a witness who claimed that Routh had left a box at his home several months ago. After the witness learned of the incident on September 15, he opened the box. (…) It contained, among other things, a handwritten letter addressed to Peace.
Mr. Routh wrote in a note that was placed inside a box that he left at a friend’s house in North Carolina, according to prosecutors:
This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job.
In addition to the letter, the box contained other letters and ammunition, according to an unnamed witness.
The state prosecution documents also say that for about a month before the assassination attempt, Routh’s phone had been sending signals to communications towers in the vicinity of this golf club and Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. A search of the suspect’s car found a handwritten list of dates and locations of events involving Trump. Six mobile phones were also found in the defendant’s car.
This evidence is meant to bolster prosecutors’ claims that Routt intended to assassinate Trump before the attempt was thwarted by Secret Service agents.
Routh is expected to be formally charged in court on September 30. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of about $500,000.
