Shooter Spouting Anti-Trump Rhetoric Opens Fire Inside Trump Resort In Doral, Florida, Overnight
Miami Police say 42-year-old Jonathan Oddi entered the Trump National Resort in Doral, Florida, and began firing shots and ranting about President Donald Trump early Friday morning. The gunman was apprehended after exchanging fire with responding police and taken into custody after being shot several times.
Oddi, who lives just a few miles away from the Trump Resort, according to the Miami Herald, removed an American flag from the property and entered the hotel lobby at approximately 1:30 a.m. local time while shouting “anti-Trump rhetoric,” according to Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez. The man reportedly fired a semi-automatic handgun and a fire alarm was set off in an attempt to lure officers to the scene.
Five officers responded, and the gunman received multiple gunshots to his lower body before being taken into custody. No injuries were reported for Trump resort workers or guests, but one Doral police officer suffered a broken wrist during a fall.
Oddi was taken to the Kendall Regional Medical Center for treatment of his wounds. Authorities do not consider the incident to be terrorism-related.
Police shot a man overnight inside President Trump's Doral golf club, west of Miami. Police say he was armed and ranting against the president.
More details ahead on @CBSThisMorning. pic.twitter.com/yqdGKUMpBF
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 18, 2018
Little is known about Jonathan Oddi currently. He is reportedly from South Africa and describes himself on social media as a fitness instructor, real estate investor, and manager of a business dealing in minerals and gemstones. His few Twitter postings provide zero clues and his Instagram account has been set to private.
Little Response From Trump Administration
President Donald Trump was at the White House at the time of the shooting and has not taken to his Twitter account to discuss the matter. However, Eric Trump did send out a thank you to the Doral Police and Miami-Dade police departments.
A huge thank you to the incredible men and women of the @DoralPolice Department and @MiamiDadePD. Every day they keep our community safe. We are very grateful to you! ??????
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) May 18, 2018
Meanwhile, the United States Secret Service is aware of the incident and issued the following statement.
“The U.S. Secret Service is aware of a shooting that took place early this morning at the Trump National Doral Golf Club in Doral, FL. Special Agents from the Miami Field Office are on the scene and working closely with our law enforcement partners. No Secret Service protectees or security operations were impacted as a result of the shooting. As a matter of policy the Secret Service does not comment on Protective Intelligence investigations.”
“The subject came in and removed the flag from the flag pole at the rear of the complex. He brought it into the hotel lobby and draped it over the counter, and began to yell out anti-President Trump rhetoric,” Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez says https://t.co/5jOlaJM5up pic.twitter.com/FF3sxLBzEH
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 18, 2018
Previous Shootings
There have been other incidents around the White House involving gunmen since President Trump took office in 2017. A man shot himself on the north side of the White House just this past March. Meanwhile, Representative Steve Scalise and other GOP representatives were targeted by a gunman at a D.C. softball field in 2017 with Scalise still recovering from the shooting. The Waffle House shooter was also once arrested for trespassing at the White House.
Similar incidents occurred during the Obama administration. For example, a man wielding a gun approached a White House security checkpoint in May 2016 and was killed by the Secret Service.
