FBI agents, in collaboration with sheriff's deputies, swiftly responded to businesses surrounding the Trump International Golf Club in Florida to confiscate surveillance footage within two hours of a Secret Service agent firing at a suspected would-be assassin. The incident involved Ryan Wesley Routh who was reportedly lying in wait for former President Donald Trump at the West Palm Beach golf course with a semi-automatic rifle. Routh, accused of being a felon in possession of a firearm and tampering with the weapon's serial number, was promptly taken into custody and is currently awaiting court proceedings scheduled for September 23rd.

Businesses near the golf course, whose owners opted to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, were visited by law enforcement shortly after the incident took place. The FBI was reported to have removed surveillance video hard drives that potentially contained crucial footage of Routh's movements before and after the alleged assassination attempt. Surveillance footage and witness testimonies are essential in piecing together a timeline of events and can provide insights into the suspect's actions and interactions. However, some business owners claimed that the FBI deleted surveillance files from their systems, raising questions about the handling of evidence in the investigation.

Federal charging documents reveal that Routh arrived at the golf course in the early hours of the same day he was spotted near the vicinity with a weapon, as indicated by FBI cell phone analysis. While certain details surrounding Routh's actions before and after the shooting remain undisclosed to the public, law enforcement experts emphasize the significance of surveillance footage in deciphering the suspect's motives and potential accomplices. The FBI's decision to preserve electronic media to retain metadata for court proceedings underscores the meticulous approach taken in preparing evidence for the upcoming trial.