The Tangled Web of a Troubled Individual

Ryan Wesley Routh, a 58-year-old man from Greensboro, North Carolina, has been involved in a series of unsettling incidents throughout his life. One such incident occurred in 2002, when he was arrested during a police standoff after a traffic stop escalated dramatically. Routh was found to be in possession of a bomb, a "weapon of mass destruction," which led to his charges being upgraded to possessing a weapon of mass destruction. The events of that night are still etched in the memory of Tracy Fulk, the retired Greensboro cop who arrested Routh. Fulk recalled that when she approached the car, she saw Routh reach for something in the center console, and when she shone her flashlight, she saw a gun. Routh did not pick it up, but instead put the car in drive and drove away. Routh eventually barricaded himself in his office, where he was found to be in possession of a binary explosive device fitted with a 10-inch detonation cord and a blasting cap. Fulk was wary of Routh and called for backup while taking cover behind her vehicle. The incident was just one in a long history of concerning behavior reported by Routh's neighbors and former coworkers. Josh Patrick, a 30-year-old neighbor, described Routh as a "high-risk person" who had multiple unsettling run-ins with him. David Atkinson, a former employee, said that Routh was always vocal about his opinions and was not afraid to speak his mind. Routh's arrest in 2002 was a shock to many, including Fulk, who said that she was surprised to learn that the man she arrested was the same individual accused of attempting to shoot former President Donald Trump on Sunday.