Ryan Routh's History of Run-Ins with Law Enforcement Raises Concerns over FBI's Tip Handling

A retired Greensboro Police Department officer has described Ryan Routh, the alleged gunman in a foiled assassination attempt on former President Trump, as someone who "often played the victim" and accrued numerous charges over his lifetime. Despite a tip to the FBI in 2019 alleging Routh's possession of a firearm, the agency did not initiate a follow-up interview.

Despite a 2019 tip to the FBI alleging that Ryan Routh, the alleged would-be assassin of former President Trump, was in possession of a firearm, the agency failed to conduct a follow-up interview. This revelation has raised questions about the FBI's handling of tips and its effectiveness in preventing potential threats.

Routh, 58, was arrested on Sunday after a Secret Service agent opened fire upon spotting a gun muzzle protruding through the perimeter fence of Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida. According to Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Miami field office Jeffrey Veltri, the 2019 tip alleged that Routh was a felon in possession of a firearm.

Ryan Routh's History of Run-Ins with Law Enforcement Raises Concerns over FBI's Tip Handling

However, the initial tipster later retracted their statement, and the FBI forwarded the information to local law enforcement in Honolulu, where Routh resided at the time. Despite Routh's extensive history of run-ins with law enforcement, including felony firearms possession and multiple counts of possession of a weapon of mass destruction, the FBI did not pursue an interview.

Retired Greensboro Police Department Officer Eric Rasecke, who encountered Routh over 100 times during his career, described him as someone who "often played the victim." Routh accrued numerous charges ranging from writing bad checks to serious offenses, indicating a pattern of disregard for the law.

Ryan Routh's History of Run-Ins with Law Enforcement Raises Concerns over FBI's Tip Handling

The FBI receives approximately 1,300 tips per day, and the agency's National Threat Operations Center (NTOC) evaluates each lead to determine the best course of action. Tips involving threats to life, bodily injury, or violent action are given the highest priority. However, former FBI Supervisory Special Agent Scott Duffey explained that many tips never lead to an interview if a supervisor deems that there may not be an action to be taken.

Since the Parkland High School shooting in 2018, Duffey said, all calls made to the FBI involving a potential threat to a school are followed up on. Otherwise, it is left to the judgment of the supervisor handling the case. In Routh's case, the information provided by the tipster did not warrant an interview, according to Duffey.

Ryan Routh's History of Run-Ins with Law Enforcement Raises Concerns over FBI's Tip Handling

The FBI's handling of the Routh tip has sparked concerns about whether the agency is doing enough to prevent potential threats. With Routh's extensive criminal history and the tip alleging possession of a firearm, some question why the FBI did not pursue this lead more aggressively.

The incident highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement in identifying and mitigating potential threats, especially considering the sheer volume of tips received daily. However, it also raises questions about the FBI's protocols for assessing and prioritizing tips to ensure that potential threats are not missed.

Ryan Routh's History of Run-Ins with Law Enforcement Raises Concerns over FBI's Tip Handling