Secret Service shoot armed man at Mar A Lago after mar a lago perimeter breach
US Secret Service agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office shot and killed an armed man who entered the inner perimeter of mar a lago, officials say. The incident, at about 01: 30 ET (06: 30 GMT) early on Sunday, has prompted coordination by the attorney general and a federal investigation.
Agents and deputy fired after breach near the north gate
Law enforcement officers say the suspect entered the inner perimeter of President Trump's residence in Palm Beach, Florida, and was shot and killed after being confronted. Officers identified him as a white male who was carrying a shotgun and a fuel canister when he was spotted near the north gate; investigators say he gained access near that gate when a guest was leaving the property.
The sheriff and other authorities said the man raised the shotgun to a shooting position before he was shot. The response involved US Secret Service agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office, and the quick stop has been linked to the site's tight security even when the president is away.
Suspect named as Austin T. Martin; family had reported him missing
Multiple outlets have identified the suspect as 21-year-old Austin T. Martin, also named in some postings as Austin Tucker Martin and Tucker Austin Martin. He is from North Carolina; a missing person poster shared by his family several days ago included a photograph and identified him as Tucker Austin Martin from Moore County, North Carolina.
Authorities say his family reported him missing on Saturday, and investigators are probing whether he purchased the weapon while driving from his home state. Investigators earlier said the man was believed to have travelled from North Carolina.
Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI director Kash Patel respond
Attorney General Pam Bondi said she has been speaking with Donald Trump and coordinating with federal partners all morning about the Mar-a-Lago shooting and the related intrusion and shooting. Bondi added that she is grateful that the president and law enforcement officers are safe.
FBI director Kash Patel said the agency is dedicating all necessary resources to investigate the incident.
Timing, setting and editorial note
The shooting occurred at about 01: 30 ET (06: 30 GMT) early on Sunday, when the US president was not in Florida; the president was in Washington. The incident prompted immediate federal and local involvement.
Edited by Brandon Livesay and Charlotte Hadfield.
Mar A Lago's location, size and prior controversies
Mar-a-Lago sits between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Worth Lagoon in Palm Beach, Florida. The property opened in 1927, was purchased by Donald Trump in 1985 and was used as his private residence until 1995, when it was turned into a private club. The resort spans 20 acres and includes a private beach, 126 rooms, tennis courts, pools and a ballroom.
The estate was at the center of a 2022 controversy over Trump's handling of classified documents after his first term. FBI agents searching the property found empty folders marked with classified banners among more than 11, 000 government documents and photographs; a judge later dismissed the federal case on the basis that the justice department had violated the Appointments Clause with its choice of special prosecutor. Trump has called the property "the Winter White House" and spent a significant portion of his first term there, including 31% of that term at the resort.
