Armed man killed after entering secure perimeter of Trump's residence, Secret Service says

February 23, 2026

A 21-year-old man from North Carolina was fatally shot by Secret Service agents and a sheriff's deputy after breaching the security perimeter at Mar-a-Lago while President Trump was in Washington. The intruder, identified as Austin T. Martin, was carrying a shotgun and fuel canister when confronted by security personnel around 1:30 AM Sunday morning.

Who is affected

Austin T. Martin (the deceased suspect from Cameron, North Carolina)
Martin's family in North Carolina who reported him missing
US Secret Service agents and Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputy involved in the shooting
President Donald Trump (target of the security breach)
Moore County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina
Secret Service Director Sean Curran

What action is being taken

The FBI is assisting with an investigation into the incident
Officials are investigating whether Martin purchased the gun along his route from North Carolina to Florida
Federal authorities are reviewing the missing persons information provided by Moore County Sheriff's Office
Secret Service Director Sean Curran is conducting "after-actions" in Florida and has "reinvigorated operational communication and agency response to critical incidents"

Why it matters

This incident highlights the ongoing security challenges facing President Trump, who has been the target of multiple assassination attempts and plots. It underscores the heightened tensions around political violence in the United States, which has become increasingly prominent following several high-profile incidents. The breach at one of the most heavily secured presidential properties raises questions about threat prevention despite multiple layers of protection, and contributes to broader national concerns about the normalization of violence against political figures across the partisan spectrum.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC