A 21-year-old man who was shot and killed by Secret Service agents after allegedly trying to force entry into President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence early Sunday was from a family described as “avid Trump supporters,” according to a relative.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation identified the suspect as Austin Tucker Martin, who reportedly entered the resort grounds through the north gate carrying a shotgun and a gas canister at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday.
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were not present at the Florida property when the incident occurred.
The couple had been in Washington, D.C., on Saturday evening attending a dinner with state governors, although the president frequently spends weekends at the residence and typically golfs there on Sundays.
Martin, a resident of Moore County, North Carolina, had been reported missing by his family on Saturday, according to Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.
Martin’s cousin, Braeden Fields, told the Associated Press he was stunned by the events and described the family as “avid Trump supporters.” “We are big Trump supporters, all of us. Everybody,” Fields, 19, said, but added his cousin was “real quiet, never really talked about anything.”
“He’s a good kid,” Fields told the outlet. “I wouldn’t believe he would do something like this. It’s mind-blowing.” Fields said Martin worked at a nearby golf course and regularly donated part of his paycheck to charitable causes. “He wouldn’t even hurt an ant. He doesn’t even know how to use a gun,” Fields said.
During a Sunday morning briefing, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said two Secret Service agents and a deputy confronted the suspect and instructed him to drop both the gas canister and the shotgun.
According to Bradshaw, the suspect then “raised the shotgun to a shooting position.”
“The only words we said to him was ‘drop the items,’” Bradshaw told reporters. “He put the gas can down and pointed the shotgun at the officers.” No law enforcement personnel were injured during the encounter. Officials said the FBI is leading the ongoing investigation, Bradshaw added.
Trump has not yet issued a public statement regarding the shooting, though White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt commended the Secret Service for acting “quickly and decisively” and also pointed to Democrats in connection with the partial government shutdown.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said she had spoken with Trump and was coordinating with federal agencies as the investigation continues.
“Grateful that @potus and our law enforcement agents are safe,” Bondi added in a post on X. FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau was committing “all necessary resources” to the investigation in a brief social media statement.
“FBI is dedicating all necessary resources in the investigation of this morning’s incident at President Trump’s Mar-A-Lago – where an armed individual was shot and killed after unlawfully entering the perimeter,” Patel said in a post on X. “We will continue working closely with @SecretService as well our state and federal partners and will provide updates as we are able.”
Trump has faced previous threats, including an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024.
On September 15, 2024, another armed individual was arrested after waiting near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach while the president was playing. The man was sentenced to life in prison earlier this month.
