“ A man in his early 20s 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 announced.
The Secret Service said the incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. when the suspect made an “unauthorized entry” at the property.
The individual was observed near the north gate 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 the man who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sheriff Ric Bradshaw confirmed to Fox News that the suspect was 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin of North Carolina.
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 also not in Florida when the shooting occurred.
The FBI, Secret Service and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office are investigating, including the man’s background, actions and potential motive, as well as the use of force.
Bradshaw said at a press conference that a deputy and two Secret Service agents on the detail went to investigate after an individual made his way onto the “inner perimeter” of Mar-a-Lago.
“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 agentsfired their weapons and neutralized the threat.”
He said the suspect did not exchange any words with law enforcement officers who instructed the man to “drop the items.”
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 our state and federal partners and will provide updates as we are able.”“
The irony is priceless.