FBI says Mar-a-Lago perimeter breach left suspect dead, asks public for tips

The FBI said it is leading the investigation after U.S. Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a man who breached the secure perimeter at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach early Sunday, leaving no law enforcement personnel injured.

The Secret Service described the encounter as an "unauthorized entry" and said the man, whom the agency described as "in his early 20s," was confronted near the north gate. Officials and local media reported the subject was carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel container; in public remarks captured on video, agents offered photographs of the shotgun and a gas can to the press.

At a media briefing, the FBI’s Miami field office special agent in charge, Brett Sky, said that "the two Secret Service agents fired their weapons and neutralized the threat. He is deceased at the scene." Sky thanked the Secret Service and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office for their rapid response and said that, "fortunately nobody was … in jeopardy inside because of the quick action that was taken by the deputies and the Secret Service."

Video of the briefing and a transcript show agents and a sheriff’s deputy discharged firearms while responding to an armed individual at one of the estate’s gates. The briefing also emphasized that the president was not in Florida at the time: "We want to be clear, the president of the United States was not in the state of Florida," a speaker said.

The FBI posted a case update on its official account saying, "The FBI continues its investigation of the officer-involved shooting at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday and urges anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or go to tips.fbi.gov." The bureau is coordinating with the Secret Service and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and has positioned itself as the lead investigative agency while those partners assist.

Local and national outlets confirmed details from the briefing and from agency posts, including the account that the subject carried both a shotgun and a flammable container described variously as a fuel can, fuel canister, gasoline canister, or gas can across sources. The precise ownership of the weapons and container, the identity of the man, his motive, and the exact timeline remain under investigation.

Press exchanges at the briefing underscored unresolved procedural questions. When asked which agency’s officer fired the fatal shot, officials replied that "there's two agencies involved. Sheriff's office and Secret Service," and that the specific attribution of the fatal shot was "under investigation right now."

Authorities held the briefing after a media advisory announced an event for Sunday morning; video and transcript of the session were made available to reporters. Investigators said they will release more information as it becomes available, and the FBI reiterated its public request for tips through its hotline and website.

The case remains active. Investigators have not released the name of the deceased, and no autopsy or coroner results have been made public. Officials said they will provide further details at an appropriate time as the FBI continues its inquiry.