According to the Associated Press, the armed man who U.S. Secret Service agents fatally shot at President Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago residence has been identified as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin. Additionally, Martin, whom the New York Post reports was a golf course artist, was reported missing by his family back in North Carolina within the last few days.
Early Sunday morning (February 22), the United States Secret Service reported they fatally shot a man in his 20s after “unauthorized entry” into President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence around 1:30 a.m. Officials confirmed that Trump was not at the Palm Beach club during the shooting. Instead, he was at the White House in Washington, D.C.
In a statement, federal officials said U.S. Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Deputy fatally shot a man who entered the secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago with “what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can.” The statement wholly read:
“On February 22, around 1:30 a.m., a male in his early 20s was shot by U.S. Secret Service agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) following an unauthorized entry into the secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago.
The individual, whose identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, was pronounced deceased. The individual was observed by the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago property carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and U.S. Secret Service agents and a PBSO deputy confronted the individual and shots were fired by law enforcement during the encounter. No U.S. Secret Service or PBSO personnel were injured. There were no Secret Service protectees present at the location at the time of the incident.
The incident, including the individual’s background, actions, potential motive, and the use of force, is under investigation by the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. In accordance with agency policy, the involved Secret Service agents will be placed on routine administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.”
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During a press conference Sunday morning, Palm Beach County Sheriff Rick Bradshaw said:
“A deputy and two Secret Service agents on the detail went to that area to investigate. They confronted a white male that was carrying a gas can and a shotgun. He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with him, at which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position. At that point in time, the deputy and the two Secret Service agents fired their weapons and neutralized the threat.”
The FBI is currently investigating the incident — which follows Trump narrowly avoiding an assassination in 2024 when he was shot at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
As mentioned above, Martin was previously reported missing by his family in North Carolina. According to social media posts, a missing poster claims reads:
“[Martin] was last heard from on [Saturday] Feb 21st at 7:51 p.m. Drives a 2013 Silver Volkswagen Tigeaun. Approx. 6-foot tall and lives in the Carthage, NC area.”
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