'The evil is in you': Man sentenced to life in prison for attempting to assassinate Trump in 2024: How he reacted

In a latest development on Wednesday (Feb 4), US court sentenced Ryan Routh, the man who attempted to assassinate US President Donald Trump in 2024 during his presidential campaign rally in Pennsylvania, to life in prison. US District Judge Aileen Cannon announced the sentence in Fort Pierce, Florida. 59-year-old Routh was convicted by a jury of five criminal counts, including attempted assassination after he served as his own defense lawyer at trial. Routh's lawyer Martin Roth said the conviction and sentence will be appealed.

"It's clear to me that you engaged in a premeditated, calculated plot to take a human life…The evil is in you. Not in everybody else," Cannon, Trump appointed judge, said while announcing the sentence. She also explained that the the punishment was necessary “to protect the public from future crime” by Routh.

Also Read: 'Bullet won’t miss...': Trump receives assassination threat from Iran amid US strike speculations

How Routh reacted?

During the hearing, Routh gave a monologue for about 15 minutes, according to Reuters. He was cut short by the judge who said his speech was "irrelevant to the case." Routh called himself a "failure," adding that the sentence was "totally unimportant." "I have given every drop of who I am every day for the betterment of my community and this nation," Routh said. As the jury read the verdict, Routh appeared to try to stab himself with a pen several times and had to be restrained by US marshals. His daughter yelled in court that her father had not hurt anyone and that she would get him out of prison.

Also Read: Ryan Routh found guilty of trying to assassinate Trump, stabs himself after verdict

What Trump said

After the sentence, Trump lauded the verdict and wrote on Truth Social, "This was an evil man with an evil intention, and they caught him." Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that Routh will never walk free again. "Ryan Routh's heinous attempted assassination of President Trump was not only an attack on our President -- it was a direct assault against our entire democratic system," Bondi said.

How Ryan W Routh attempted to assassinate Trump?

Ryan W Routh was arrested at a traffic stop near Palm City, Florida, in September. He allegedly fired bullets at Republican presidential nominee Trump with a semi-automatic rifle on July 13, 2024. The bullet fired by a gunman grazed Trump's ear at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. In an earlier court filing, Routh denied any wrongdoing, and said he was willing to undergo psychological treatment for a personality disorder in prison.

According to Reuters, prosecutors said Routh arrived in South Florida about a month before the incident, staying at a truck stop and tracking Trump's movements and schedule. Routh carried six cellphones and used fake names to conceal his identity. He reportedly lay in wait in thick bushes for nearly 10 hours on the day of the incident. Investigators on the scene found the rifle, body armor-like metal plates and a video camera pointed at the golf course. Routh pleaded not guilty in the case but fired his lawyers and opted to represent himself at trial despite lacking any formal legal training.