A man with a weapon was shot and killed after he entered a restricted security area near President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Florida, officials said. The incident happened early Sunday morning at about 1:30 a.m. At that time, Trump was in Washington, DC, not in Florida. The United States Secret Service said the man walked into a secure part of the property near the north gate.
Officers saw that he was carrying what looked like a shotgun and a fuel can. Police later identified the man as Austin T. Martin from North Carolina. His family had reported him missing earlier that same morning. The Moore County Sheriff’s Office said they had no previous records involving him. Federal authorities are now handling the investigation, they added. When officers confronted the man, they ordered him to drop the items he was holding.
According to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, the man first put the fuel can down. However, he then lifted the shotgun into what officers described as a shooting position. At that point, Secret Service agents and a sheriff’s deputy fired their weapons. Officials said they acted to stop what they believed was an immediate threat. The man died at the scene. No law enforcement officers were injured. It is still not known if the shotgun was loaded. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is helping with the investigation.
Officers were wearing body cameras, and the footage will be reviewed. Security at Mar-a-Lago is very strict. Local deputies guard the outer area, and the Secret Service protects the inner secure zone. Authorities carefully check visitors and vehicles before they enter. This incident comes after previous threats against Trump recently. The investigation is ongoing, according to authorities, and they may share more details later.
