A man has been shot dead by Secret Service agents after trying to unlawfully enter Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, authorities in the US have said.
The man was seen by the north gate of the Florida property at around 1.30am local time (6.30am UK time) on Sunday.
He was carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can, authorities added.
US media have identified him as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin.
Rick Bradshaw, the sheriff of Palm Beach County, said the man had “made his way into the inner perimeter of Mar-a-Lago”.
Authorities said the man was carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can. Pic: AP
He said at a news conference: “A deputy and two Secret Service agents on the detail went to that area to investigate.
“They confronted a white male that was carrying a gas can and a shotgun.
President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, where an intruder was killed. Pic: Reuters
“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.
“At that point in time, the deputy and the two Secret Service agents fired their weapons and neutralised the threat. He is deceased at the scene.”
Asked if the suspect was known to law enforcement, Mr Bradshaw said “not right now”.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said that the Secret Service had acted “quickly and decisively to neutralise a crazy person” who had intruded into Mr Trump’s home.
She wrote on X: “Federal law enforcement are working 24/7 to keep our country safe and protect all Americans. It’s shameful and reckless that Democrats have chosen to shut down their Department.”
Earlier this month, Democrats in the US Senate blocked a funding package for the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the Secret Service, over their opposition to an immigration crackdown that has triggered widespread protests and seen two people killed in Minneapolis.
Secret Service update the media
While Mr Trump often spends the weekends at Mar-a-Lago, he was at the White House with his wife Melania Trump when the intruder entered his Florida estate.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the suspect was in his early 20s and from North Carolina. He was reported missing a few days ago by his family.
According to Guglielmi, investigators believe he left North Carolina and headed south, picking up a shotgun along the way. The box for the gun was recovered in his vehicle.
The suspect had driven through the north gate of Mar-a-Lago as another vehicle was exiting.
Investigators are working to compile a psychological profile while his motive is still under investigation.
The FBI has asked area residents who live near Mar-a-Lago to check any security cameras they may have for footage that could help investigators.
Brett Skiles, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Miami field office, told a press conference: “If you see anything that looks suspicious or out of place, please contact us… call FBI or contact the West Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office.”
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Five days ago, US Capitol Police arrested a Georgia gunman armed with a shotgun as he sprinted towards the west side of the Capitol.
Mr Trump previously faced a threat to his life when he was wounded during an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024.
On September 15, 2024, a man with a rifle was captured after waiting near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach while the president played a round. He was sentenced to life in prison earlier this month.
