In the early hours today, a man was fatally shot by Secret Service agents after breaching the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, the estate of former President Donald Trump, located in Florida.
The individual, described as a white male in his early 20s, was armed with a shotgun and carrying a fuel can when he attempted to access the Palm Beach property from the north side at approximately 1:30 a.m., according to a statement from the Secret Service.
At the time of the incident, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were in Washington, D.C., attending the Governors Dinner.
Upon encountering the suspect, two Secret Service agents, along with a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, instructed him to disarm.
Although the man set down the fuel can, he raised his shotgun into a firing stance, which led the officers to take action, as explained by Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.
“At that point, the deputy and the two Secret Service agents discharged their weapons, effectively neutralizing the threat. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene,” stated Bradshaw.
No Secret Service agents or Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies were injured.
Pictured: Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida
President Trump had been attending the Governors Dinner in Washington DC on Saturday night. He is pictured here at the event
The white male, in his early 20s, was holding what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can as he tried to enter Trump’s Palm Beach residence
The deceased man’s identity has not been released pending notification of next of kin.
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.’
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.
Prosecutors said Routh spent weeks plotting to kill Trump before aiming a rifle through shrubbery as the Republican presidential candidate and then-former president played golf on September 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club.
At the trial, a Secret Service agent who helped protect Trump on the golf course, testified that he spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and run away without ever discharging a shot.
This is a breaking news story.
