A man in his early 20s was shot and killed early Sunday after allegedly breaching the secure perimeter of President Donald Trumpʼs Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, according to the U.S. Secret Service.
The agency said the incident happened at about 1:30 a.m. when the suspect made an “unauthorized entry” into the secured area of the property and was seen near the north gate carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can. Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputy confronted the intruder inside the perimeter, and shots were fired, fatally wounding him; no law enforcement officers were injured.
Officials said President Trump was not at Mar-a-Lago at the time of the shooting and no Secret Service protectees were on site when the breach occurred. The man’s identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, while the Secret Service, FBI and local authorities have opened a joint investigation into his background and possible motive.
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.