Man Shot Dead After Entering Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, Secret Service Investigates

U.S. Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputy shot and killed a man early Sunday morning after he entered a secure perimeter at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, carrying what authorities described as a shotgun and a fuel can.

The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m., according to a statement released by the Secret Service. Agents and the deputy confronted the man, who was observed near the north gate of the property. Law enforcement officers ordered the man to drop the items he was carrying. After he complied with the demand to drop the fuel can, he raised the shotgun into a shooting position, prompting the officers to open fire, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at a press conference.

The man, who authorities have not yet identified pending notification of next of kin, died at the scene. No law enforcement officers were injured during the encounter. The Secret Service confirmed that President Trump was not at Mar-a-Lago at the time of the shooting, having spent Saturday evening delivering remarks at the White House Governors Dinner in Washington, D.C.

The FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office have launched a joint investigation into the incident, examining the man’s background, actions, potential motive, and the use of force by law enforcement.

This incident marks the latest in a series of security concerns involving President Trump. In July 2024, Trump was the target of an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman fired multiple shots, grazing the president’s ear before being subdued by a Secret Service counter sniper. Months later, in September 2024, a man armed with a rifle was apprehended near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, while the former president was playing a round. That individual, Ryan Routh, was recently sentenced to life in prison.

The shooting at Mar-a-Lago also comes amid a backdrop of political violence in the United States. Recent events include the assassination of a Democratic state House leader and her husband in Minnesota, shootings targeting other lawmakers, and an arson attack at the Pennsylvania governor’s residence. The latest incident occurred a short distance from Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, where Routh attempted to assassinate the former president during the 2024 election cycle.

The White House referred all inquiries regarding the incident to the Secret Service and the FBI, and has not yet issued a public statement. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi stated that the suspect had been reported missing from his home in North Carolina on Saturday by his family.