Lawmakers condemn political violence after apparent Trump assassination attempt

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are speaking out for the first time since the second apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

The Congressional task force that was already investigating the July assassination attempt at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania issued a statement saying they will be looking closely into Sunday's incident as well, and have already requested a briefing from the U.S. Secret Service.

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"We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms," chairman Mike Kelly and ranking member Jason Crow said in the statement. "The Task Force will share updates as we learn more."

Authorities believe Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, pointed a high-powered rifle through a fence near where Trump was playing golf at his club in Florida on Sunday.

Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe said in a press conference Monday that an agent saw the rifle in the treeline and fired toward Routh, who fled the scene and was later apprehended.

Rowe added that Routh never fired his weapon and Trump remained out of the suspect's sight the entire time. The FBI said it recovered an SKS model rifle with a scope from the scene.

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Routh has since been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison for the first charge and five years for the second.