Soviet-style rifle used in Trump assassination attempt, experts online say
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was safe on Sunday after the Secret Service foiled what the FBI called an apparent assassination attempt while he was golfing on his course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Secret Service agents spotted a rifle barrel poking through a chain link fence at the edge of the property, approximately 300-500 yards away from Trump, West Palm Beach Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at a press conference.
The suspect, Ryan Routh, 58, left an AK-47-style assault rifle and other items at the scene and fled in a vehicle but was later arrested.
Bradshaw showed photos from the scene of what he said was an assassination attempt depicting a rifle, backpack and GoPro camera.
He also described the firearm as an AK-style rifle — a ubiquitous semi-automatic rifle designed with a curved detachable 30-round magazine.
Firearms experts pointed out some of the features in the grainy photo, suggesting that the rifle is actually a Soviet cousin of the AK, the SKS. It was designed in the 1940s by another famous Russian weapons designer, Sergey Simonov.
#USA ????: A gunman who allegedly attempted to assassinate Donald #Trump was caught after shooting at a Golf club in West Palm Beach, #Florida.
Additionally; a 7.62x39mm SKS rifle with black synthetic stock and a GoPro camera were recovered at the scene. pic.twitter.com/KfMs3Qsf3N— War Noir (@war_noir) September 15, 2024
The SKS was a slightly older rifle than the AKs with replicas sold worldwide in the civilian market. Traditionally, the SKS came with a 10-round “fixed magazine,” a distinguishing feature from the detachable, curved 30-round magazines on AKs.
The wooded scene photos showed a black “sporterized” modern SKS, with a detachable magazine. It had a scope added for longer-range shooting and appeared to have a “Monte Carlo” stock to fit better to a shooter’s cheek.
Firearms experts at The Military Wire called the weapon a 7.62x39mm SKS rifle with black synthetic stock. That’s the same ammunition as most AKs.
Notably, an SKS was used in the 2017 Congressional baseball game shooting that wounded U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, a police officer, aide and lobbyist.
Some firearms experts called the weapon an “eclectic” and odd choice. Other gun lobby groups pointed out a so-called assault weapons ban would not cover the weapon since it had no foregrip, pistol grip, or detachable stock, which the proposal has targeted as distinguishing features.
Rick Jervis and Reuters contributed to the reporting of this story.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Soviet-style rifle used in Trump assassination attempt, experts say