Law Enforcement Shoots Man Trying to Enter Trump Resort

WASHINGTON—Early Sunday, a man carrying a shotgun broke through a security perimeter at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, and was shot and killed by the U.S. Secret Service and local police, according to law enforcement officials.

Trump was not present at the location at the time; he is currently in Washington. According to a source familiar with the investigation, the man involved in Sunday’s incident was identified as Austin Tucker Martin, a 21-year-old from North Carolina. The source stated that Martin had been reported missing in recent days.

The incident took place during a period of increased political violence in the United States. A guy later found guilty of attempted assassination was seen hiding in the bushes of a Florida golf club with a semi-automatic weapon while Trump was on the course, and a gunman’s bullet grazed Trump’s ear during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in 2024.

According to a statement from the U.S. Secret Service, the individual was seen at the resort’s north entrance at approximately 1:30 a.m. EST (0630 GMT) and was carrying a shotgun and a fuel can.

The man was accosted by two U.S. Secret Service officers and a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputy, who told him to drop the two objects, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw during a Sunday morning press conference.

Law officers opened fire after the man set down the gas can and lifted the shotgun “to a shooting position,” according to Bradshaw.
At the scene, the individual was pronounced deceased. There were no injuries to law enforcement personnel.

According to White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, the Secret Service “acted quickly and decisively to neutralize a crazy person, armed with a gun and a gas canister, who intruded President Trump’s home.”

The motive behind the incident was not disclosed by law enforcement officials. According to sources, the FBI has taken over the investigation and is gathering evidence from the area.
In a social media post, FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the organization is “dedicating all necessary resources” to the probe.

Following the incident, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed to have spoken with Trump. For keeping the president and his family safe, Bessent commended the Secret Service.

Bessent stated, “We don’t know whether this person was a mastermind, unhinged or what,” during an appearance on the Fox News show “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo.”
Trump was the target of two assassination attempts in 2024, one of which took place at his West Palm Beach golf course. This month, the person responsible for that incident received a life sentence.

In June 2025, Melissa Hortman, a Democratic state lawmaker from Minnesota, and her spouse were shot and died. Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist, was also killed a few months later.