An armed man was shot and killed early Sunday after making an unauthorized entry into the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, according to the U.S. Secret Service.
The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m., officials said. During a news conference, Ric Bradshaw, sheriff of Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, said security personnel detected an individual who had entered the inner perimeter near a north-side gate.
A deputy and two Secret Service agents responded and confronted the man, who was carrying a gas can and a shotgun. Authorities said he was ordered to drop both items. After putting down the gas can, he raised the shotgun into a firing position, prompting law enforcement to open fire. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Multiple sources identified the man as 21-year-old Austin T. Martin of Cameron, North Carolina. Officials are investigating whether he purchased the shotgun while traveling from North Carolina to Florida. His family had reported him missing the day before.
Rafael Barros, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Miami Field Office, said no law enforcement personnel were injured. Authorities also confirmed that no protectees were present at the property at the time. President Donald Trump was in Washington over the weekend.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Secret Service and local authorities.