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Mar-a-Lago shooting: What happened at Trump's Palm Beach club? First details out
The suspect, who is in his 20s, was observed carrying a fuel can and what appeared to be a shotgun.
A man in his early 20s was shot and killed by agents with the United States Secret Service and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office after allegedly attempting to breach the perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, the private club owned by President Donald Trump.
According to the Secret Service, the incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. Sunday in West Palm Beach. Authorities said the man was seen near the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago property carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can.
In a statement, the Secret Service said the man entered a secure perimeter and was confronted by federal agents and a sheriff’s deputy.
"Shots were fired by law enforcement during the encounter," the agency said. “The individual, whose identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, was pronounced deceased.”
No Secret Service personnel or sheriff’s deputies were injured in the incident, and there were "no Secret Service protectees present at the location at the time of the incident," officials said.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with the Secret Service and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the man’s background, actions, possible motive, and the use of force.
"In accordance with agency policy, the involved Secret Service agents will be placed on routine administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation," Secret Service added.
According to Fox10, a briefing is set to begin at 9 a.m. Sunday.
President Donald Trump has faced multiple threats to his life in recent years.
On July 13, 2024, he was injured during an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Two months later, on Sept. 15, 2024, another armed suspect was taken into custody after allegedly lying in wait near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach while the president was playing a round. The man was sentenced to life in prison.
