Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw identified the gunman who breached Mar-a-Lago as Austin Tucker Martin, 21, a white man from Cameron, North Carolina, on 22/2. His family had reported him missing the previous day.

US Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County officer located Martin near the north gate of the resort at approximately 1:30 on 22/2. This location was within the internal security perimeter of President Donald Trump's property. Martin was carrying a shotgun and a container of chemicals.

Secret Service agents ordered Martin to drop his weapons. According to Bradshaw, the suspect placed the chemical container on the ground but then "raised the shotgun in a firing position." Immediately, law enforcement officers and two Secret Service agents opened fire, killing Martin at the scene. No security personnel were injured during the incident.

Security forces patrol around the Mar-a-Lago resort in 11/2024. Photo: AFP

The Secret Service confirmed that no protected individuals were present at the residence during the incident. President Trump was at the White House on the morning of 22/2, having hosted a dinner for US governors with First Lady Melania Trump on the evening of 21/2.

Sheriff Bradshaw stated that the timely actions of the security forces ensured no one inside the resort was threatened. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, including an analysis of data from body-worn cameras of the involved security personnel.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the agency is deploying "all necessary resources" for the inquiry.

Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Miami office, Brett Skiles, stated that the agency is continuing to process the scene and collect evidence. He urged residents living near the area to review their external home security camera footage from the evening of 21/2 and the morning of 22/2, and to report any suspicious findings to authorities.

Martin's motive for breaching Trump's resort with weapons remains unclear.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X that the US Secret Service "acted quickly and decisively to neutralize a madman" who breached the President's residence. Mr. Trump has not yet commented on the incident.

The US President has previously been the target of multiple assassination attempts. These include a shooting at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in 7/2024, which left him with an ear injury, and an unsuccessful ambush in 9/2024 at a golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida.

By Thanh Danh (According to Washington Post, AFP)