A man was shot and killed early Sunday after allegedly breaching the secure perimeter of President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, the U.S. Secret Service said.
The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. when the suspect made an “unauthorized entry” through the north gate of the resort as another vehicle was exiting. The man has been identified as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin of North Carolina, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw confirmed to Fox News.
The suspect was observed carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can. Agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) confronted him.
“They confronted a white male that was carrying a gas can and a shotgun. He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with him – at which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position,” Bradshaw told reporters. “At that point in time, the deputy and the two Secret Service agents fired their weapons and neutralized the threat.”
SECRET SERVICE THWARTS POTENTIAL THREAT NEAR TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS WITH RAPID RESPONSE
Bradshaw said the suspect did not exchange any words with law enforcement officers who instructed the man to “drop the items.”
The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
No Secret Service or PBSO personnel were injured, and no Secret Service protectees were present at the location during the time of the incident, officials said.
Trump was at the White House at the time of the breach, even though he frequently spends weekends at Mar-a-Lago, according to The Associated Press.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the man is believed to have bought the shotgun while traveling south, and authorities later discovered the weapon’s box inside his vehicle, The Associated Press reported.
The Moore County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release that a relative reported Martin missing around 1:38 a.m. Sunday.
He was entered into a national missing person database before federal authorities informed local officials they were conducting an active investigation in Florida related to Martin.
The sheriff’s office said it had no prior history with the 21-year-old and has since turned over the missing person case information to federal authorities. It is not involved in the Florida investigation.
The incident, including the suspect’s background, actions and potential motive, as well as the circumstances surrounding the use of force, are under investigation by the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials said they are working to compile a psychological profile as part of the investigation, according to The Associated Press.
FBI Miami Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles said the bureau is assisting in the investigation because the shooting occurred in an area under Secret Service protection.
He said the FBI’s evidence response team is processing the scene and collecting evidence, and urged residents who live nearby to review their exterior cameras for footage from Saturday night into early Saturday morning.
“If you see anything that looks suspicious or out of place, please contact us,” he told reporters.
FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X that his agency is “dedicating all necessary resources in the investigation of this morning’s incident,” and “will continue working closely with @SecretService as well [as] our state and federal partners and will provide updates as we are able.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X that the U.S. Secret Service “acted quickly and decisively to neutralize a crazy person, armed with a gun and a gas canister, who intruded President Trump’s home.”
The breach comes after Trump faced two assassination attempts during his 2024 campaign.
