A dramatic incident unfolded early Sunday morning when a man armed with a shotgun and a gas can was shot and killed after breaching the Mar-a-Lago estate, the lavish Palm Beach property of former President Donald Trump.
The individual, identified as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin from North Carolina, attempted to enter the resort around 1:30 a.m., according to Anthony Guglielmi, a representative for the U.S. Secret Service.
Authorities report that Martin gained entry near the estate’s north gate, where he was swiftly intercepted by two Secret Service agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department.
Upon confrontation, Martin allegedly pointed his shotgun at the officers, prompting them to take immediate action, resulting in him being shot.
Before the incident, Martin had been reported missing by his family, who suspected he acquired the shotgun en route to Florida. A box matching the weapon was discovered in his 2013 silver Volkswagen Tiguan, which family members confirmed was his vehicle.
Martin’s family shared on Facebook that they last communicated with him on Saturday evening just before 8 p.m. He had left his residence in Cameron, North Carolina, earlier that day around 1 p.m., sparking concerns for his well-being.
‘This is not like him at all,’ his devastated aunt wrote.
Martin lived with his parents at the secluded, countryside home – and the man had a fascination with drawing golf courses in his spare time, an Instagram account linked to him showed.
‘I specialize in pen illustrations centered around landscapes, architecture, and scenery,’ he wrote in a brief description of his skills.
Martin, seen on the far right, is pictured with his family
Austin Tucker Martin, 21, was shot and killed at around 1.30am on Sunday at Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida, after entering with a gas can and a shotgun
Martin lived with his parents at the secluded home – and the man had an obsessed with drawing golf courses in his spare time, an Instagram account linked to him showed (pictured)
He posted dozens of photos of scenes from golf courses, buildings, and countryside shots in both black and white and color.
Martin was also seemingly religious – captioning one of his drawings of an ornate garden with: ‘Thank you for this gift, Dear Lord,’ alongside a Christian emoji.
Photos of Martin, posted by his family online, showed him smiling with his siblings and parents.
Martin was identified by a person familiar with the matter, who chose to remain anonymous as they were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation.
Guglielmi said: ‘On February 22, around 1.30am, a male in his early 20s was shot by US Secret Service agents and deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) following an unauthorized entry in the secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said that, after entering near the north gate of the resort, Martin was confronted by two Secret Service agents and a deputy with the sheriff’s department
Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesperson for the US Secret Service, said that a box for the weapon was found inside Martin’s car, which his family identified as a 2013 silver Volkswagen Tiguan
An image from the gunman’s Instagram, where he had an adoration for drawing golf course
‘The individual, whose identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, was pronounced deceased. He was observed by the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago property carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can.’
According to Guglielmi, no Secret Service or deputies with the sheriff’s officer were injured.
‘There were no Secret Service protectees at the location at the time of the incident,’ he added.
US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X: ‘In the middle of the night while most Americans were asleep, the United States Secret Service acted quickly and decisively to neutralize a crazy person, armed with a gun and a gas canister, who intruded on the President Trump’s home.
‘Federal law enforcement are working 24/7 to keep our country safe and protect all Americans. It’s shameful and reckless that Democrats have chosen to shut down their department.’
The president and First Lady Melania Trump were not at the Mar-a-Lago estate over the weekend. Instead, they were both at The White House at the time of the incident.
Family members said on Facebook that Martin was last heard from on Saturday just before 8pm after he left his $1.1 million home in Cameron, North Carolina, at around 1pm
The president and First Lady Melania Trump were not at the Mar-a-Lago estate over the weekend. Instead, they were both at The White House at the time of the incident
US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described Martin as a ‘crazy person’ armed with a gas canister and a gun, and added: ‘It’s shameful and reckless that Democrats have chosen to shut down their department’
The FBI asked residents to review home security footage for any content that may help investigators.
A motive for the breach remains unclear as law enforcement continues to investigate. Bradshaw, when asked if Martin was known by police, said ‘not right now.’
The incident occurred just miles from Trump’s West Palm Beach club where a man tried to assassinate him while he played golf during his 2024 campaign.
Ryan Routh was spotted hiding in the shrubbery with a rifle by a Secret Service agent.
The gunman was found guilty last year and sentenced this month to life in prison.
Trump also survived an assassination attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally. That gunman fired eight shots before being killed by a Secret Service counter sniper.
Five days ago, a Georgia man armed with a shotgun was arrested as he sprinted towards the west side of the US Capitol.
