Intruder Shot Dead After Breaching Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Estate

An armed intruder was shot and killed by Secret Service agents early Sunday after breaching the inner perimeter of President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, authorities said.

The man drove through the north gate of the Palm Beach resort around 1:30am as another vehicle was exiting, according to officials. He was confronted shortly afterward by security personnel.

Two Secret Service agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office located the suspect, described as a white male in his early 20s, carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a gas can.

Agents ordered him to drop the items. Authorities said he put down the gas can but raised the shotgun into a firing position. Officers then opened fire, killing him at the scene.

President Donald Trump was not at the Florida property at the time. Officials said he was at the White House with First Lady Melania Trump.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Rick Bradshaw told reporters that security had detected the intruder inside the estate’s inner perimeter.

President Donald Trump was at the White House at the time of the attempted break-in
(Picture: AFP)

“He was ordered to drop the items,” Bradshaw said. “He put the gas can down and pointed the shotgun at the officers. At that point, they fired their weapons and neutralised the threat.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation and has asked nearby residents to review home security footage for any relevant video.

Suspect Identified

Investigators identified the man as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin. His family had reported him missing in North Carolina days earlier.

According to Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi, authorities believe Martin traveled south from North Carolina and acquired the shotgun along the way. The gun’s box was recovered from his vehicle.

His motive remains under investigation by the FBI, the Secret Service and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

Previous Security Incidents

The incident comes after previous threats against Trump.

In 2024, a man attempted to assassinate him while he was playing golf near West Palm Beach. A Secret Service agent spotted the suspect aiming a rifle through shrubbery before Trump came into view. The agent opened fire, and the suspect was later arrested. He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

President Donald Trump is surrounded by Secret Service agents after an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler in July 2024 (Picture: AP)

Months earlier, Trump survived another assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman fired multiple shots, grazing his ear before being fatally shot by a Secret Service counter-sniper.

White House Response

Trump has not publicly commented on the Mar-a-Lago breach.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the intruder as a “crazy person” in a post on X, praising the Secret Service for acting “quickly and decisively” to protect the president’s residence.

Federal authorities said the investigation remains ongoing.