Armed intruder shot dead after breaching Mar-a-Lago secure perimeter

An armed man was shot and killed after entering the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago early Sunday, U.S. Secret Service officials said, in the latest violent breach tied to the former president’s properties. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said agents fired after they saw him "unlawfully entering the secure perimeter at Mar‑a‑Lago early this morning" and that the suspect "was observed by the north gate of the Mar‑a‑Lago property carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can."

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, speaking at a news conference, described a brief confrontation at about 1:30 a.m. Eastern Time. "The only words that we said to him was 'drop the items' which means the gas can and the shotgun," Bradshaw said. "At which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position." Bradshaw said agents and a sheriff’s deputy then fired to "neutralise the threat." The individual was later pronounced dead.

Authorities say the man drove into the secure perimeter as another vehicle was exiting, and investigators found a box for the weapon in his vehicle. Investigators later identified the man as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin of North Carolina, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly. Officials also say the man had been reported missing by his family several days earlier and that investigators believe he headed south and may have obtained the shotgun along the way.

President Donald Trump and the First Lady were at the White House at the time of the breach; the Secret Service said no other individuals under protection were present at the Mar-a-Lago property. The FBI, the U.S. Secret Service and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office are jointly investigating the incident, including the individual's background, actions, potential motive and the use of force. Guglielmi said the agencies are examining evidence recovered at the scene and compiling a psychological profile.

Officials have not released detailed forensic findings, including the number of shots fired, the specific officers who fired, or autopsy and ballistic results. Investigators have said there is no immediate indication the man was known to law enforcement, though the inquiry is ongoing.

The episode comes amid a string of attacks and plots tied to the former president since 2024. Security records show a July 2024 shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, in which a gunman wounded the former president and was shot and killed by security forces, and a separate West Palm Beach incident in which an assailant aiming a rifle at a Secret Service agent was later convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Beyond the immediate criminal probe, the shooting is likely to prompt fresh scrutiny of protective protocols for high-profile private residences and could lead to expanded reviews of perimeter security and interagency coordination at properties used by current or former officials. Local law enforcement leaders said they will await the results of the FBI and Secret Service inquiries before discussing policy changes or releasing body camera or surveillance footage.