Washington — A man in his early 20s was shot and killed early Sunday morning after an “unauthorized entry” into the secure perimeter at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, the U.S. Secret Service said.
The Secret Service said in a statement that the incident occurred Sunday around 1:30 a.m. Secret Service agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office confronted the man, who was carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can. Shots were fired at the individual, the Secret Service said, and the individual was pronounced deceased.
Speaking at a news conference later Sunday morning, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at 1:30 a.m., the security detail detected that an individual had made his way into the inner perimeter of Mar-a-Lago near a gate on the North side.
“A deputy and two secret service agents on the detail went to that area to investigate,” Bradshaw said. “They confronted a white male that was carrying a gas can and a shotgun.”
Bradshaw said the individual was ordered to drop the gas can and shotgun, at which point he put down the gas can and “raised the shotgun to a shooting position.” The deputy and Secret Service agents then fired their weapons and “neutralized the threat,” Bradshaw said. He said the individual was declared dead at the scene.
Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros of the U.S. Secret Service Miami Field Office said no law enforcement personnel were injured during the incident.
The Secret Service noted that no protectees were present at the location during the incident. The president remained in Washington this weekend.
Bradshaw said the FBI is leading the investigation into the incident, assisted by Secret Service and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
