FBI Launches Probe After Hunting Stand Found Near Palm Beach airport

Last Updated:October 20, 2025, 02:29 IST

The FBI is investigating a suspicious hunting stand near the Air Force One landing zone in Palm Beach, weeks after Ryan Routh was found guilty of attempting to kill Trump.

FBI Director Kash Patel (Image Credit: Reuters)

The FBI has launched an investigation after the US Secret Service found a suspicious elevated hunting stand within sight of the Air Force One landing zone in Palm Beach.

According to Fox News, the stand was found on Thursday and the FBI has taken up the investigation into the matter.

FBI Director Kash Patel said: “Prior to the President’s return to West Palm Beach, USSS discovered what appeared to be an elevated hunting stand within sight line of the Air Force One landing zone."

“No individuals were located at the scene. The FBI has since taken the investigatory lead, flying in resources to collect all evidence from the scene, and deploying our cell phone analytics capabilities," he told Fox News in an interview.

Later, USSS chief of communications Anthony Guglielmi said: “There was no impact to any movements, and no individuals were present or involved at the location. While we are not able to provide details about the specific items or their intent, this incident underscores the importance of our layered security measures."

Fox News quoted a law enforcement source as saying that the stand was likely set up “months ago".

This comes weeks after a 59-year-old man, Ryan Routh, was found guilty of attempting to kill Trump in a Palm Beach golf course on September 15, 2024, two months before clinching his second presidency. This came nine weeks after then presidential candidate narrowly survived a previous attempted assassination at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

According to CNN, Routh, who represented himself at his federal trial in Fort Pierce, Florida, was facing five charges, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

Meanwhile, the authorities said that Routh created a “sniper’s nest" near the sixth green of Trump International Golf Club, but never fired a shot at Trump.

Routh likely tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen after the verdict was read, a person in the courtroom told CNN. Authorities stopped him from doing so. His daughter also had an emotional outburst in the courtroom after the verdict was read.

News world FBI Launches Probe After Hunting Stand Found Near Palm Beach airport

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