Armed man is killed by Secret Service after entering Mar-a-Lago

An armed man was shot and killed by the Secret Service in the early hours of the morning after unlawfully entering the secure perimeter at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago in Florida. 

Austin Tucker Martin, 21, was holding a shotgun and a fuel can as he tried to enter Trump's Palm Beach residence near the north side around 1.30am on Sunday, the Secret Service said.

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were in Washington, DC, last night attending the Governors' Dinner.

Two Secret Service agents and one deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office ordered him to drop his weapons. 

'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,' Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at a press conference Sunday morning.

The suspect, who investigators say is from North Carolina and traveled 700 miles by car to Florida, was reported missing by his family a few days ago. 

During the altercation, he put down the gas can but raised his gun into shooting position, prompting police to fire.

'At that point in time, the deputy and the two Secret Service agents fired their weapons and neutralized the threat. He is deceased at the scene,'  Bradshaw said.

No Secret Service agents or Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies were injured.

'At this time, no law enforcement personnel were injured during the incident. We want to be clear, the President of the United States was not in the state of Florida,' said Rafael Barros, the Special Agent in Charge at the Secret Service Miami field office.

Bradshaw shared one image of the gas can and shotgun from the scene.

The deceased man's identity has not been publicly released pending notification of next of kin, however a source familiar with the matter identified him as Martin to the Associated Press.

Investigators believe Martin left North Carolina and headed south, picking up a shotgun along the way, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told the Associated Press.

The box for the gun was recovered in his vehicle, Guglielmi said. The man drove through the north gate of Mar-a-Lago as another vehicle was exiting and was confronted by Secret Service agents, Guglielmi said.

The FBI is leading the investigation into the case, and is asking neighbors to check their security cameras for any footage of suspicious activity. 

'If you live in the area of the shooting, please check your exterior cameras for last night, early this morning,' Brett Skiles, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Miami field office, said.

'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.'

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praised the Secret Service for their swift action.

Read More

The man killed after entering Mar-a-Lago with a shotgun is identified as Austin Tucker Martin

'In the middle of the night while most Americans were asleep, the United States 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 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.'

It comes just months after two National Guard soldiers were shot in the head just yards from Trump's DC residence.

Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal was identified as the alleged gunman in custody over the horror shoot-out at Farragut West metro station in the center of Washington, DC, in November.

Earlier this month, a maniac who tried to assassinate Trump at his Florida golf course at the height of the 2024 election campaign was sentenced to life behind bars.

Ryan Routh, 59, was sentenced on February 4 to life in prison, plus a consecutive 84 months for one of his gun convictions.

US District Judge Aileen Cannon pronounced Routh's fate in the same Fort Pierce courtroom that erupted into chaos in September when he tried to stab himself with a pen shortly after jurors found him guilty on all counts.

Prosecutors sought life without parole, noting how Routh is unrepentant and never apologized for the attempt on the president's life. A defense attorney brought in for his sentencing asked for 27 years, arguing that Routh is turning 60.

Routh's sentencing was initially scheduled for December, but Cannon agreed to move the date back after the defendant decided to bring in an attorney for sentencing instead of continuing to represent himself like he did for most of the trial.

Prosecutors said in a sentencing memorandum that Routh has yet to accept any responsibility and should spend the rest of his life in prison, in accordance with federal sentencing guidelines.

'Routh remains unrepentant for his crimes, never apologized for the lives he put at risk, and his life demonstrates near-total disregard for law,' the memo said.

He was convicted of trying to assassinate a major presidential candidate, using a firearm in furtherance of a crime, assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm as a felon and using a gun with a defaced serial number.