The Lone Actor Compendium — Incidents Directed at Donald J. Trump

Headline Statistics

Aggregate · all incidents

Total incidents 9 7 confirmed · 2 disputed

Unique perpetrators 9 9 acted alone

Rounds fired (perpetrator) 14 Excludes return fire by law enforcement

Times Trump injured 1 One grazing wound, right ear (Butler, PA)

Bystander deaths 1 Corey Comperatore, Butler rally

Bystanders critically injured 4

Law-enforcement injured 1 Secret Service officer, WHCD 2026

Perpetrators killed on scene 3

Convicted or sentenced 3

Charges pending 3

Weapons / items recovered 19

Average perpetrator age 33.1 Range: 20 – 58

Perpetrator Demographics

Counts of individuals · n = 9

By gender
Male	9

By age bracket
Under 21	2
40–49	2
21–29	2
50–59	1
30–39	1
Unknown	1

By race / ethnicity
White	4
Not publicly reported	4
African American	1

By nationality
American	8
British	1

By political lean (where stated)
Anti-Trump / left-leaning	3
Not publicly reported	3
Mixed / ambiguous	1
Sovereign Citizens / fringe	1
Apolitical / nonpolitical	1

Tactics, Weapons & Venues

Items recovered / venue characteristics

Weapons & equipment recovered
Ancillary equipment	7
Handgun	5
Shotgun	2
AR-15-style rifle	1
SKS-style rifle	1
Other rifle / long gun	1
Edged weapon	1
Vehicle / forklift	1

Venue type
Indoor campaign rally	1
Outdoor campaign rally	1
Private golf course	1
Outdoor campaign rally perimeter	1
Presidential residence	1
Indoor formal event	1
Presidential motorcade route	1
Public open space along motorcade route	1
Presidential residence perimeter	1

By state / district
District of Columbia	3
Florida	2
Nevada	1
Pennsylvania	1
California	1
North Dakota	1

By year
2026	4
2024	3
2016	1
2017	1

By stated / apparent target
Donald J. Trump	7
JD Vance (disputed)	1
White House perimeter (Trump inside)	1

Outcomes

Current legal status of perpetrators

Perpetrator outcome
Killed on scene	3
Charged, pending trial	3
Convicted & sentenced	2
Convicted & deported	1

Casualty summary
Bystanders injured	4
Perpetrators killed	3
Trump grazing wounds	1
Bystander deaths	1
Law-enforcement injured	1

Incident Log

Chronological · earliest first

Michael Steven Sandford

Treasure Island Hotel & Casino, Paradise, NV

Target Donald J. Trump

Trump 2016 campaign rally

Perpetrator

Age 20

Date of birth 1995-08-13

Gender Male

Race / ethnicity White

Nationality British

Residence Hoboken, NJ (overstayed 90-day visa-waiver)

Education Did not complete secondary school in UK per defence filings

Occupation Unemployed; living out of his car in the months prior

Political affiliation Anti-Trump (no party affiliation reported)

Mental health (reported) Diagnosed with autism / Asperger's syndrome, OCD, anorexia; prior suicide attempt; once escaped a UK psychiatric hospital

Prior criminal record None reported

Acted alone Yes

Prior weapons training Single session at Battlefield Vegas firing range two days before attempt — first time he had ever fired a gun

Online footprint Minimal documented online activity; planning carried out largely in person and via travel

Family background From Dorking, Surrey, UK; parents Lynne and Paul Sandford publicly stated their son was mentally ill and pleaded for leniency

Attempt & outcome

Weapons & equipment Attempted to seize officer's Glock 17 (9mm)

Rounds fired — perpetrator 0

Rounds fired — law enforcement 0

Distance to target —

Trump present Yes

Trump injured No

Bystander casualties 0 killed · 0 injured

Law-enforcement casualties 0 killed · 0 injured

Current status Convicted & deported

Sentence 12 months and 1 day in federal prison; deported to UK after 11 months

Preparation Drove from New Jersey to Las Vegas; visited a firing range to practice with a 9mm Glock; approached officer under guise of asking for Trump's autograph

Stated intent to kill Trump to prevent his election; told investigators he had been planning the attempt for approximately one year.

"Told investigators he tried to grab the officer's gun 'to shoot and kill Trump.'"

Key facts

Approached officer asking for Trump's autograph before lunging for the holstered pistol
Had overstayed a tourist visa-waiver and was in the U.S. illegally at the time
Pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm
Defence attorneys argued autism and OCD; judge cited prior planning as aggravating

Sources

Gregory Lee Leingang

Andeavor Mandan Refinery motorcade route, Mandan, ND

Target Donald J. Trump

Presidential visit to Andeavor Mandan Refinery; the motorcade transited the area

Perpetrator

Age Unknown

Date of birth Not publicly reported

Gender Male

Race / ethnicity Not publicly reported

Nationality American

Residence Bismarck / Mandan area, ND

Education Not publicly documented

Occupation Not publicly documented

Political affiliation Not publicly documented

Mental health (reported) Diagnosed with ADHD and bipolar disorder; public defender said he was in a serious psychiatric crisis at the time of the incident

Prior criminal record Yes

Acted alone Yes

Online footprint Not publicly documented

Family background Not publicly documented

Attempt & outcome

Weapons & equipment Stolen forklift (intended to flip the presidential limousine)

Rounds fired — perpetrator 0

Rounds fired — law enforcement 0

Distance to target —

Trump present Yes

Trump injured No

Bystander casualties 0 killed · 0 injured

Law-enforcement casualties 0 killed · 0 injured

Current status Convicted & sentenced

Sentence 10 years (arson) + 5 years (forklift theft) + 5 years (burglary), state prison; estimated release 2038

Preparation Set two arson fires earlier the same morning (a ballpark maintenance shop and the state parole office); stole a forklift from refinery grounds and drove toward the motorcade route

Confessed plan to ram and flip the presidential limousine in order to kill President Trump; forklift became jammed inside the refinery before he could reach the motorcade.

"Investigators quoted his stated intent: to flip the limo and kill the president."

Key facts

Weapon of choice was a stolen forklift, not a firearm
Also committed two arson fires the same morning
Forklift became stuck inside refinery grounds; fled on foot and was arrested
Pleaded guilty in 2018; only confessed the assassination motive after detention
Public defender argued severe untreated mental illness

Sources

Thomas Matthew Crooks

Butler Farm Show grounds, Butler, PA

Target Donald J. Trump

Trump 2024 campaign rally

Perpetrator

Age 20

Date of birth 2003-09-20

Gender Male

Race / ethnicity White

Nationality American

Residence Bethel Park, PA

Education Bethel Park High School (2022); Associate degree in engineering science, Community College of Allegheny County (May 2024)

Occupation Dietary aide at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center

Political affiliation Registered Republican (registered at 17); previously donated $15 to ActBlue Progressive Turnout Project on day Biden was inaugurated; voting history limited to one primary

Mental health (reported) FBI reported 'no indication of mental health issues'; searched online for information on major depressive disorder days before attack

Prior criminal record None reported

Acted alone Yes

Prior weapons training Member of Clairton Sportsmen's Club; attended shooting range on July 12, 2024, day before attack; tried out for high-school rifle team but was rejected as a poor shot

Online footprint Used VPNs and encryption to mask activity; searches included 'how far was Oswald from Kennedy', Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley, Butler Farm Show ground photos; FBI cited posts reflecting antisemitic and anti-immigration themes and political-violence rhetoric

Family background Both parents worked as licensed professional counsellors; classmates reported he was quiet and bullied in school for his demeanor and clothing

Attempt & outcome

Weapons & equipment DPMS Panther Arms AR-15-style rifle, 16" barrel, 5.56x45mm NATO (purchased from his father)

Rounds fired — perpetrator 8

Rounds fired — law enforcement —

Distance to target 137 m

Trump present Yes

Trump injured Bullet grazed upper right ear

Bystander casualties 1 killed · 2 injured

Law-enforcement casualties 0 killed · 0 injured

Current status Killed on scene

Sentence —

Preparation Registered for rally July 6; same-day searched 'how far was Oswald from Kennedy'; practised at shooting range day before; on the day of the rally bought 50 rounds and a ladder before climbing onto the AGR International building roof

FBI determined no clear motive after 200+ interviews; one working theory is that Crooks was seeking any high-profile mass-shooting opportunity and the rally's timing simply offered the most accessible target.

Key facts

Killed Corey Comperatore, a former volunteer fire chief who shielded his family
Critically wounded two other rally attendees
Counter-sniper neutralized him 12 seconds after he opened fire
Researched Oxford High School mass shooter Ethan Crumbley in days before attack
FBI never recovered a manifesto or written explanation

Sources

Ryan Wesley Routh

Trump International Golf Club, West Palm Beach, FL

Target Donald J. Trump

Trump playing a round of golf

Perpetrator

Age 58

Date of birth 1966-02-19

Gender Male

Race / ethnicity White

Nationality American

Residence Kaaawa, HI (formerly Greensboro, NC)

Education No post-secondary degree publicly documented

Occupation Roofing contractor / shed-builder in Hawaii; self-styled 'recruiter' for Ukraine's International Legion (the Legion publicly disowned any link to him)

Political affiliation Pivoted from Trump-2016 supporter to fierce critic; donated ≈20 times to ActBlue between Sep 2019 – Mar 2020 ($1–$25); voted in 2024 North Carolina Democratic primary

Mental health (reported) Family members and acquaintances described long history of erratic, delusional behaviour; no formal diagnosis publicly confirmed

Prior criminal record Yes

Acted alone Yes

Prior weapons training Self-taught; long-time gun owner; convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction after a three-hour standoff with police in Greensboro, NC

Online footprint Self-published a 2023 book 'Ukraine's Unwinnable War'; active on X/Twitter posting about Ukraine, Iran and Trump; mailed a 'Dear World' letter months before the attempt acknowledging he might fail

Family background Adult son Oran Routh publicly distanced family from his actions; Routh had been estranged from much of his family in years prior

Attempt & outcome

Weapons & equipment Norinco SKS-style rifle with scope; Loaded magazine (19 rounds) + 1 chambered; Steel armour plates; Mounted camera

Rounds fired — perpetrator 0

Rounds fired — law enforcement 4

Distance to target 366 m

Trump present Yes

Trump injured No

Bystander casualties 0 killed · 0 injured

Law-enforcement casualties 0 killed · 0 injured

Current status Convicted & sentenced

Sentence Life in prison plus 84 months (sentenced 2026-02-04)

Preparation Began planning February 2024 per court records; dropped off a letter at a witness's residence in April 2024; lay in wait in shrubbery along the course fence-line for nearly 12 hours before Trump's tee time

Self-described mission to prevent a second Trump presidency, citing Trump's stated positions on Ukraine and Iran; pre-positioned with rifle pointed through fence and was spotted before Trump came into his line of sight.

"Handwritten 'Dear World' note: 'This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you.'"

Key facts

Spotted by a Secret Service agent patrolling one hole ahead of Trump
Fled by car after agent opened fire; arrested in Martin County, FL
Convicted by jury September 23, 2025; sentenced February 4, 2026
Had 100+ prior criminal counts in North Carolina including 2002 WMD conviction
Falsely claimed Ukrainian Foreign Legion service; Legion stated he had never been part of, associated with, or linked to it

Sources

Vem Miller

Outer security checkpoint, Coachella, CA

Target Donald J. Trump

Trump 2024 campaign rally

Perpetrator

Age 49

Date of birth Not publicly reported

Gender Male

Race / ethnicity White

Nationality American

Residence Las Vegas, NV

Education Not publicly documented

Occupation Self-described investigative journalist / documentary filmmaker; founder of 'America Happens Network' (right-wing podcast platform); former music-video co-director ('Vem & Tony')

Political affiliation Self-described Trump supporter; right-wing media personality; ID and license-plate markings tied him to the Sovereign Citizens movement per Riverside County Sheriff

Mental health (reported) Not publicly reported

Prior criminal record Not publicly reported

Acted alone Yes

Prior weapons training Not publicly documented

Online footprint Active on Rumble and YouTube; produced an interview show featuring right-wing figures including Nigel Farage and Mike Lindell; reposted election-fraud claims

Family background Public-facing media personality; family details not part of public reporting

Attempt & outcome

Weapons & equipment Loaded shotgun; Loaded handgun; High-capacity magazine; Multiple passports and driver licenses under different names; Vehicle with homemade license plate

Rounds fired — perpetrator 0

Rounds fired — law enforcement 0

Distance to target —

Trump present Yes

Trump injured No

Bystander casualties 0 killed · 0 injured

Law-enforcement casualties 0 killed · 0 injured

Current status Charged, pending trial

Sentence Released on $5,000 bail; charged with two California state weapons violations (carrying a loaded firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine); no federal assassination charge filed

Preparation Drove a black SUV bearing homemade 'sovereign citizen' plates to an interior checkpoint near the rally venue; vehicle search yielded the firearms and false IDs

Disputed. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco publicly stated deputies 'probably' stopped a third assassination attempt and cited the Sovereign Citizens connection; the Secret Service stated Trump was not in immediate danger; Miller insisted he was a supporter unaware of weapons restrictions.

"Miller publicly stated he was a Trump supporter who had attended other campaign events and had even met Trump's sons."

Key facts

Stopped at an interior checkpoint, never reached the inner rally perimeter
Sovereign Citizens movement rejects the legitimacy of the U.S. federal government
Sheriff's public assertion of 'third assassination attempt' was not echoed by federal authorities
No federal charges filed; case remained at the state level

Sources

Austin Tucker Martin

Mar-a-Lago inner perimeter, Palm Beach, FL

Target Donald J. Trump

Breached Mar-a-Lago perimeter while Trump was in Washington

Perpetrator

Age 21

Date of birth Not publicly reported

Gender Male

Race / ethnicity Not publicly reported

Nationality American

Residence Moore County, NC

Education Union Pines High School (2023 graduate)

Occupation Groundskeeper at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club; owner of registered LLC 'Fresh Sky Illustrations' producing nature and golf-course sketches

Political affiliation Came from a family of Trump supporters per cousin; personally described as apolitical

Mental health (reported) No public diagnosis; family had reported him missing shortly before the incident; investigators were assembling a psychological profile

Prior criminal record Not publicly reported

Acted alone Yes

Prior weapons training Cousin publicly said Martin was 'afraid of guns'; investigators believe the shotgun was purchased en route to Florida

Online footprint Maintained a small website for his illustration business; limited social-media activity reported

Family background Sister killed in a car accident a few years prior; older brother serves in the U.S. military; family described him as nonpolitical

Attempt & outcome

Weapons & equipment Shotgun (purchased en route); Fuel can (gas canister)

Rounds fired — perpetrator 0

Rounds fired — law enforcement 3

Distance to target —

Trump present No

Trump injured No

Bystander casualties 0 killed · 0 injured

Law-enforcement casualties 0 killed · 0 injured

Current status Killed on scene

Sentence —

Preparation Drove from North Carolina to Florida; family had reported him missing; investigators say he purchased the shotgun during the drive south

Motive not publicly determined. Breached perimeter at ~01:30 a.m. by walking through a gate as it opened for departing staff; carried shotgun and gas canister; refused orders to drop the firearm and raised it to a shooting position.

Key facts

Entered via a service gate that opened for departing employees
Killed by two Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County deputy
Family had filed a missing-persons report shortly before the incident
Trump was at the White House Governors Dinner in Washington, not at Mar-a-Lago
Cousin: 'never interested in politics or guns'

Sources

Cole Tomas Allen

Washington Hilton, Terrace Level (White House Correspondents' Dinner), Washington, DC

Target Donald J. Trump

White House Correspondents' Association Dinner; Trump, Vance, Cabinet and First Lady in attendance

Perpetrator

Age 31

Date of birth Not publicly reported

Gender Male

Race / ethnicity African American

Nationality American

Residence Torrance, CA

Education California Institute of Technology — B.S. Mechanical Engineering (2017); California State University, Dominguez Hills — M.S. Computer Science (May 2025)

Occupation Part-time tutor at C2 Education (named 'Teacher of the Month', December 2024); self-employed indie video-game developer; released game 'Bohrdom' on Steam

Political affiliation Left-wing activist per family interviews; vocal critic of the Trump administration, the U.S. war with Iran, and Russia's war in Ukraine on a verified Bluesky account

Mental health (reported) Family described escalating radicalisation in the months prior; no formal diagnosis publicly reported

Prior criminal record Not publicly reported

Acted alone Yes

Prior weapons training Sister told investigators Allen had acquired firearms and was regularly practising at a Los Angeles-area firing range

Online footprint Posts and reposts critical of Trump on Bluesky; published indie game 'Bohrdom' on Steam; called himself a 'friendly federal assassin' in writings cited by The Washington Post

Family background Parents publicly said they were shocked by the arrest; sister provided investigators with details on his radicalisation

Attempt & outcome

Weapons & equipment Long gun (rifle); Handgun; Knives

Rounds fired — perpetrator 2

Rounds fired — law enforcement —

Distance to target —

Trump present Yes

Trump injured No

Bystander casualties 0 killed · 0 injured

Law-enforcement casualties 0 killed · 1 injured

Current status Charged, pending trial

Sentence Charged with attempt to assassinate the President; transportation of firearm/ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony; discharge of firearm during a crime of violence. Faces life in prison.

Preparation Transported firearms in interstate commerce; mailed a written note to family ≈10 minutes before the attack; ran past a magnetometer at the Terrace Level security checkpoint

Believed it was his 'duty' to target Trump administration officials over administration policies including the war with Iran; left-wing radicalisation documented in family interviews; investigators say he intended multiple targets.

"Note sent to family ≈10 minutes before the attack: 'I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.'"

Key facts

Caltech graduate and named 'Teacher of the Month' months before the attack
Shot a Secret Service officer once in the chest; ballistic vest stopped the round
Survived return fire with minor injuries (not shot)
Wrote of himself as a 'friendly federal assassin' in materials cited by the Washington Post
Trump, Vance, and the First Lady were evacuated from the Hilton

Sources

Michael Marx

National Mall near Washington Monument — 15th Street & Madison Drive NW, Washington, DC

Target JD Vance (disputed — Secret Service says no evidence VP was the target)

Vice President JD Vance's motorcade was departing the White House along the route at the time Marx was observed

Perpetrator

Age 45

Date of birth Not publicly reported

Gender Male

Race / ethnicity Not publicly reported

Nationality American

Residence Midland, TX

Education Not publicly documented

Occupation Not publicly documented

Political affiliation Not publicly documented

Mental health (reported) Allegedly told officers in the ambulance 'Kill me, kill me, kill me' and 'F--- the White House' — no formal diagnosis publicly reported

Prior criminal record Yes

Acted alone Yes

Online footprint Not publicly documented

Family background Not publicly documented

Attempt & outcome

Weapons & equipment Sig Sauer P365 handgun (unlicensed in DC)

Rounds fired — perpetrator 1

Rounds fired — law enforcement —

Distance to target —

Trump present No

Trump injured No

Bystander casualties 0 killed · 1 injured

Law-enforcement casualties 0 killed · 0 injured

Current status Charged, pending trial

Sentence Charged with assaulting federal officers with a dangerous weapon; using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence; unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

Preparation Concealed handgun on his right side; observed by a plainclothes Secret Service agent who reportedly saw the printing of the firearm under his clothing

Disputed. A juvenile bystander was struck in the leg by a round Marx fired at a pursuing Secret Service officer. The Secret Service publicly stated there is no evidence Marx was specifically targeting VP Vance's motorcade; press coverage emphasises the spatial overlap.

"Allegedly shouted 'F--- the White House' to officers and 'Kill me, kill me, kill me' in the ambulance per charging documents."

Key facts

2011 Florida drug-trafficking conviction made him a felon prohibited from firearm possession
Drew firearm while running through a crosswalk past bystanders
Returned fire by Secret Service struck Marx in the abdomen, hand and left arm
Survived and was hospitalised; faces multiple federal charges
Secret Service formally disputes that Vance was the intended target

Sources

Nasire Best

White House security checkpoint, 17th Street & Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC

Target White House perimeter (Donald J. Trump present inside)

Approach to the White House security checkpoint while President Trump was inside the residence

Perpetrator

Age 21

Date of birth Not publicly reported

Gender Male

Race / ethnicity Not publicly reported

Nationality American

Residence Maryland

Education Not publicly documented

Occupation Not publicly documented

Political affiliation Not publicly documented

Mental health (reported) Significant deterioration in the year prior: had cut off contact with closest friends and began claiming to be Jesus Christ; two prior Secret Service encounters (Jun 26, 2025 — threats; Jul 10, 2025 — entered a restricted area)

Prior criminal record Yes

Acted alone Yes

Online footprint Not publicly documented

Family background Estranged from friends; Trump publicly remarked Best had a 'possible obsession' with the White House

Attempt & outcome

Weapons & equipment Pistol drawn from a handbag

Rounds fired — perpetrator 3

Rounds fired — law enforcement —

Distance to target —

Trump present Yes

Trump injured No

Bystander casualties 0 killed · 1 injured

Law-enforcement casualties 0 killed · 0 injured

Current status Killed on scene

Sentence —

Preparation Arrived at the security checkpoint at ~18:00 carrying a handbag; pulled a pistol and opened fire on the checkpoint

Not publicly determined. Best had prior Secret Service contacts in 2025 involving threats and a restricted-area incursion; family and friends reported a serious mental-health deterioration leading up to the incident.

Key facts

Approximately three rounds fired at the checkpoint before return fire neutralized him
An adult civilian bystander was wounded; one Secret Service agent was hospitalised as a precaution
Triggered a brief White House lockdown
Two prior 2025 Secret Service detainments — one for threats, one for entering a restricted area
Reportedly told officers in the past that he was Jesus Christ

Sources

Methodology & Scope

Inclusion criteria

What this record includes

This compendium tracks lone actors who took direct, documented action toward harming Donald J. Trump or a sitting member of his administration — defined as (a) physically attempting to seize, draw, raise or fire a weapon while in their proximity, (b) entering or breaching a secured perimeter (rally, residence or motorcade) while armed with the stated or apparent purpose of doing so, or (c) deploying a non-firearm weapon (e.g. a vehicle) against a presidential motorcade with confessed intent to kill.

Foreign-directed plots (e.g. the Iran-linked Asif Merchant murder-for-hire scheme) are excluded as they are not lone-actor cases. Verbal threats, mailed substances, and arrested would-be plotters who never reached an attempt are also excluded.

Two entries are classified as disputed: Vem Miller (Coachella, October 2024) — the Riverside County Sheriff publicly characterised the arrest as a likely third assassination attempt, while the Secret Service stated Trump was not in immediate danger and no federal assassination charge was filed; and Michael Marx (National Mall, May 2026) — the Secret Service publicly stated there is no evidence he was specifically targeting VP Vance's motorcade, although his firearm discharged along that motorcade route. The data preserves both characterisations.

All figures are derived directly from the underlying records. Every incident links to its primary sources. Demographic fields marked "not publicly reported" indicate that the relevant attribute has not been confirmed in publicly available reporting at the time of compilation.