Carbondale Reporter

State Representative Paul Jacobs reflected on the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, expressing gratitude towards the Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers involved. "Thank you to the Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers who thwarted the attempt on former President Trump's life this weekend," Jacobs said in a Facebook post dated September 16.

"We must stand united against political violence in our nation," said Jacobs, State Representattive, according to Facebook. "Thank you to the Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers who thwarted the attempt on former President Trump's life this weekend. We continue to pray for the safety of our elected officials."

In his post, Jacobs shared a link to a Chicago Sun-Times article from September 15, which reported that former President Trump was safe following a second assassination attempt, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The incident took place at Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club. The shooter has been taken into custody. According to the news article, Secret Service agents were positioned a few holes away from Trump when they noticed an AK-style rifle muzzle protruding from the shrubs approximately 400 yards away. An agent fired at the suspect, who then dropped his weapon and fled, leaving behind a GoPro camera, a scope, and two backpacks. Law enforcement apprehended him in another county. Following the incident, Trump returned to Mar-a-Lago.

Screenshot of Rep. Paul Jacobs' Sept. 16 Facebook post | State Representative Paul Jacobs' Facebook page

The suspect has been identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58. According to NBC News, Routh has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The outlet also revealed that Routh did not fire his weapon at either the Secret Service agents or Trump. Ronald Rowe, acting director of the Secret Service, said that Trump was moving through the fifth fairway around 1:30 p.m., when an agent discovered and fired at Routh. Trump was not in Routh’s line of sight.

CNN reports that former President Trump praised a civilian who spotted and reported Routh as he attempted to flee the scene. Law enforcement used information provided by this civilian to locate Routh’s vehicle as he drove north in Marin County. "The civilian did a phenomenal job. How many people would have the brainpower to follow him [in] the back of his truck? … And the key was the license. So they got the license, and after they had the license, you know, there’s all sorts of technology where they can literally pinpoint where this truck is," said Trump in a livestreamed conversation on X.

Jacobs was first elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2020. Before joining the Illinois legislature, he was an optometrist and owner of Von Jakob Vineyard in Alto Pass. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1965 to 1971. He and his wife have four grown children and ten grandchildren, according to his official biography.