The US Secret Service shot and killed an armed intruder who breached the perimeter of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence and private club in Palm Beach, Florida, early on Sunday.

The incident occurred while President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were at the White House in Washington, not at the oceanfront resort.

According to Ric Bradshaw, the sheriff of Palm Beach county, two Secret Service agents and one of his deputies responded to the north gate of the property at approximately 1:30 AM ET after a security detail reported a person within an inner perimeter.

They confronted a white male carrying a shotgun and a gasoline can. The intruder was ordered to drop the items, but instead put down the gas can and raised the shotgun to a shooting position.

At this point, law enforcement personnel fired their weapons, neutralizing the threat, and the individual was pronounced deceased at the scene. None of the law enforcement officers were injured during the confrontation, and it was not immediately confirmed if the intruder's shotgun was loaded.

Investigators later identified the man as 21-year-old, Austin Tucker Martin, from North Carolina, who had been reported missing by his family a few days prior.

Secret Service spokesman, Anthony Guglielmi, stated that investigators believe Martin left North Carolina, acquired a shotgun along the way, and drove through the north gate of Mar-a-Lago as another vehicle was exiting.

The box for the gun was subsequently recovered in his vehicle. The FBI's Miami field office, led by Special Agent Brett Skiles, is processing the site, collecting evidence, and working to compile a psychological profile to uncover a motive for the breach.

Residents near the sprawling resort have been asked to review exterior camera footage from Saturday night or early Sunday for anything suspicious.

The incident took place just inside Mar-a-Lago’s main entrance gate on South Ocean Boulevard, which was closed to traffic for investigations. Mar-a-Lago serves as a private members’ club for the wealthy and is frequently used by President Trump as his secondary residence and operational base outside of Washington.

Officials have emphasized that the security response followed established protocol for armed threats within a restricted perimeter. However, the breach is likely to renew scrutiny over perimeter security at high-profile private residences used by current and former presidents.

Authorities have not yet established a clear motive, and investigations remain ongoing.