The US secret service on Sunday said an armed man was shot and killed after entering the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s private resort in Palm Beach, Florida, AP reported.
According to the secret service, the intruder was “observed by the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago property carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can.” He was shot by Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy. The identity of the person has not been released.
Trump and first lady Melania Trump were at the White House during the incident.
According to secret service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi, the suspect, believed to be in his early 20s and from North Carolina, had been reported missing by his family days earlier.
Investigators suspect he travelled south from North Carolina, allegedly acquiring a shotgun en route. A gun box was later recovered from his vehicle.
Officials said the man drove through the north gate of Mar-a-Lago as another vehicle was exiting and was immediately confronted by secret service agents. After the encounter, agents shot him dead. Authorities are continuing to investigate the case, including efforts to determine a possible motive and develop a psychological profile, according to AP.
The secret service noted that Trump has faced previous threats.
On July 13, 2024, he was wounded in an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. On September 15, 2024, a man with a rifle was apprehended near Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course while the president played a round; that individual was sentenced to life in prison earlier this month.
