The United States Secret Service shot and killed an armed man early Sunday after he allegedly attempted to breach security at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
According to officials, the suspect was carrying a shotgun and a gas canister when he crossed into a restricted perimeter near the north gate of Mar-a-Lago around 1:30 a.m. ET. Trump, who maintains a residence at the Palm Beach property, was reportedly at the White House at the time of the incident.
Rick Bradshaw, Sheriff of Palm Beach County, said during a press briefing that a deputy and two Secret Service agents responded after the man entered the secured area.
“They confronted a white male who was carrying a gas can and a shotgun,” Bradshaw stated. “He was ordered to drop the items. He put down the gas can but raised the shotgun into a shooting position.”
Authorities said the deputy and the two Secret Service agents then opened fire, fatally wounding the suspect, who was described as being in his early 20s. His identity is being withheld pending notification of his family.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched an investigation into the shooting.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Secret Service “acted quickly and decisively” in response to the perceived threat. She also criticised Democrats over the partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Secret Service.
The Department of Homeland Security has reportedly been closed for more than a week amid a funding dispute, with Democrats calling for changes to immigration enforcement policies before approving additional funding.
The latest incident follows previous security threats involving Trump. In July 2024, a gunman opened fire from a rooftop during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, before being killed by a Secret Service sniper. Two months later, another suspect was arrested after allegedly waiting with a rifle outside a golf course where Trump was playing; he was later convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.
The shooting at Mar-a-Lago has renewed attention on security measures surrounding the former president.
