FLORIDA: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was safe after multiple shots were fired near his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday, according to two sources briefed on the incident.

The shots originated outside the fence line of the course, the sources said. Trump’s campaign had earlier said he was safe following gunshots in his vicinity but gave no details.

The Associated Press reported that US Secret Service agents opened fire after seeing a person with a firearm near Trumps golf club, citing two unnamed law enforcement sources, adding that no injuries were reported.

Reuters was not immediately able to verify the report.

The Secret Service said it was investigating the incident, which occurred shortly before 2pm.

Trump was injured in an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania on July 13, raising questions about protection for candidates, just months ahead of what looks likely to be highly contested Nov 5 election in which he will face off against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.

The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had been briefed about the incident and were relieved to know that he is safe. “Violence has no place in America,” said, Kamala Harris, Trump’s rival in November election.

Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr, cited local law enforcement as saying an AK-47 automatic weapon had been discovered in bushes and a suspect has been apprehended, according to a post on X.

The Washington Post said Trump had been golfing at the course when the incident occurred. Secret Service agents took him to a holding room at the club, it said, citing two people briefed on what had happened.

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The first shooting of a US president or major party presidential candidate in more than four decades was a glaring security lapse that forced Kimberly Cheatle to resign as Secret Service director under bipartisan congressional pressure.

Trump was grazed in the right ear and one rally-goer was killed in the gunfire. The gunman, identified as a 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper.

The US Secret Service’s new acting director said in August that he was “ashamed” of a security lapse that led to the assassination attempt.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2024