An armed man was shot and killed after breaching the secure perimeter of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence early Sunday.
The suspect, identified as 21-year-old Austin T. Martin of North Carolina, was carrying a shotgun and a fuel can when confronted by Secret Service agents and a sheriff’s deputy at approximately 01:30 ET, according to BBC.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw stated Martin ignored commands to surrender.
“The only words that we said to him was ‘drop the items’… At which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position,” Bradshaw said. Agents then fired to “neutralize the threat.”
No officers were injured, and the FBI is assisting in determining if the shotgun was loaded.
President Trump, who was in Washington, D.C. at the time, addressed the incident during a White House event on Monday.
He suggested he is targeted because he is a “consequential” president.
“You know, you read about all these crazy shooters, but they only go after consequential presidents,” Trump said, referencing Abraham Lincoln and JFK.
He joked, “So maybe I want to be a little bit less consequential,” prompting laughter.
Martin’s family had reported him missing from North Carolina shortly before the encounter.
While investigators examine if he purchased the firearm during his drive to Florida, those close to him expressed shock.
Cousin Braeden Fields called Martin a “good kid” who “did not know how to handle a firearm,” while friend Dustin Rollins described him as a “kind soul” who had been struggling emotionally since his sister’s death.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran travelled to Florida for “after-actions,” noting the agency has “reinvigorated operational communication” following the breach.
This incident follows previous attempts on Trump’s life, including the July 2024 rally shooting in Pennsylvania and Ryan Routh’s attempted ambush at a Trump golf club.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent commented on the trend, claiming the political left is “normalising” violence against the former president.
