Palm Beach, Fla. — An armed man breached the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s private club and residence, before being shot and killed early Sunday, authorities said. Trump, who frequently spends weekends at the Palm Beach estate, was at the White House when the breach occurred around 1:30 a.m., according to the U.S. Secret Service.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the man had a gas can and a shotgun when he drove through the north gate as another vehicle exited. Investigators identified him as Austin Tucker Martin, 21, of North Carolina. Authorities said his family had recently reported him missing and that he is believed to have purchased the shotgun while driving south; a box for the weapon was recovered from his vehicle. A motive has not been identified.
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Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said two Secret Service agents and a sheriff’s deputy confronted the man after he breached the gate. “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 said at a brief news conference. The agents and deputy “fired their weapons to neutralize the threat,” he said.
The Moore County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina said a relative reported Martin missing early Sunday. Investigators are working to compile a psychological profile. Asked whether Martin was previously known to law enforcement, Bradshaw said, “Not right now.”
The FBI urged residents near Mar-a-Lago to review any security camera footage that could aid the investigation. In a post on X, FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau would dedicate “all necessary resources” to the case.
On Sunday afternoon, vehicles blocked the entrance to a property listed in public records as an address for Martin at the end of a private road in Cameron, North Carolina. A cousin, Braeden Fields, described Martin as quiet and averse to guns, and said the family are avid Trump supporters.
“He’s a good kid,” Fields, 19, said, adding that Martin worked at a local golf course and often donated from his paycheck. “He wouldn’t even hurt an ant. He doesn’t even know how to use a gun.” Fields said his cousin rarely discussed politics.
Trump has faced threats before, including two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign. In one case, a man later identified as Ryan Routh was spotted by a Secret Service agent aiming a rifle through shrubbery near Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club. The agent opened fire, and Routh dropped his weapon; he was convicted last year and sentenced this month to life in prison. Trump also survived an attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania, rally, where a gunman fired eight shots before being killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper; one attendee was fatally shot by the gunman.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt praised agents in a post on X, saying the 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.” She blamed Democrats in Congress for a partial government shutdown affecting the Homeland Security Department, which began Feb. 14 after Democrats demanded changes to the president’s deportation campaign. The Secret Service is among agencies where most employees continue working without pay. The White House referred questions to the Secret Service and the FBI.
The breach comes amid a series of politically motivated attacks over the past year that authorities say have heightened tensions nationwide, including the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk; the assassination of the Democratic leader in the Minnesota House and her husband, and the shooting of another lawmaker and his wife; and an arson attack at the official residence of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. Five days ago, Capitol Police arrested a Georgia man with a shotgun as he sprinted toward the west side of the U.S. Capitol. Trump is scheduled to deliver the State of the Union there on Tuesday night.
The investigation into the Mar-a-Lago shooting remains active. Authorities asked anyone with relevant video or information to contact the FBI or the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
