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A 21-year-old man from Carthage, North Carolina, was shot and killed Sunday by U.S. Secret Service agents at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
The suspect was identified as Austin Tucker Martin, 21, the Associated Press reports, according to a person familiar with the matter who remained anonymous.
According to the Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Martin was reported missing by family members in North Carolina. Officials told WRAL News the FBI was at Martin’s home in Carthage on Sunday afternoon.
Anthony Guglielmi, a Secret Service spokesman, confirmed the suspect was armed with a shotgun and gas can when he drove through the north gate of Mar-a-Lago after 1 a.m. as another vehicle was exiting and was confronted by Secret Service agents.
Investigators believe the suspect left North Carolina and headed south, picking up a shotgun along the way, Guglielmi said.
According to the Associated Press, Braeden Fields, Martin’s cousin, reacted with disbelief. He described Martin as quiet, afraid of guns and from a family of avid Trump supporters.
“He’s a good kid,” Fields, 19, said. He said they grew up together. “I wouldn’t believe he would do something like this. It’s mind-blowing,” Fields said.
He said Martin worked at a local golf course and would send money from each paycheck to charity.
“He wouldn’t even hurt an ant. He doesn’t even know how to use a gun,” Fields said. He said his cousin didn’t discuss politics. “We are big Trump supporters, all of us. Everybody,” Fields said, but his cousin was “real quiet, never really talked about anything.”
Trump, who often spends weekends at the resort, and first lady Melania Trump, were both at the White House at the time of the shooting. The motive is still under investigation.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Rick Bradshaw, speaking at a brief press conference, said the man was confronted by two Secret Service agents and a sheriff’s deputy.
“He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with them. At which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position,” Bradshaw said. The two agents and the deputy “fired their weapons to neutralize the threat.”
It’s not the first time threats to Trump’s life have been tied to a suspect from North Carolina. In September 2024, Ryan Routh, from Greensboro, was captured after trying to assassinate Trump on a Florida golf course near Mar-a-Lago. Routh was sentenced to life in prison earlier this month.
Trump was also wounded during an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024.
After Sunday’s shooting, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X:
“In the middle of the night while most Americans were asleep, the United States 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. Federal law enforcement are working 24/7 to keep our country safe and protect all Americans. It’s shameful and reckless that Democrats have chosen to shut down their Department.”
FBI asks neighbors for help
The FBI asked area residents who live near Mar-a-Lago to check any security cameras they may have for footage that could help investigators.
FBI Director Kash Patel said in post on X that the bureau would be “dedicating all necessary resources” to the investigation.
This story will be updated as more details emerge.
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