A missing persons poster reveals the man suspected of carrying a shotgun into Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate early this morning. The photo, shared by the family of 21-year-old Tucker Austin Martin from Moore County, North Carolina, surfaced just days before the deadly incident.
Authorities previously confirmed the gunman travelled from North Carolina. Despite multiple inquiries, local police have withheld details on Martin’s status and the missing persons report. Public records show Martin has no major criminal history and voted in the 2024 US general election.
Surge in US Political Violence
The Mar-a-Lago shooting adds to a worrying spike in political violence across the United States. Last year alone, threats against Congress members soared by 60%, according to Capitol police.
- An 18-year-old with a shotgun was arrested near the Capitol just last week.
- In 2024, a bullet grazed Donald Trump’s ear at a Pennsylvania rally.
- That year, someone was found lurking on a Florida golf course with a semi-automatic rifle while Trump played.
- In 2025, prominent Democrat Melissa Hortman and her husband were assassinated, followed by conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
- There was also an arson attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence.
FBI and Secret Service Probe Incident
Ken Gray, a retired FBI special agent, told Sky News the FBI is scrutinising home surveillance footage to piece together the events. “We live in a surveillance society with cameras everywhere,” he said. The agency is also probing Martin’s background, interviewing friends and family, and combing through social media and devices.
Man Killed After Raising Shotgun at Mar-a-Lago
US media have identified the gunman shot dead by agents as Austin Tucker Martin. Secret Service agents opened fire when Martin attempted to unlawfully enter Mar-a-Lago’s secure perimeter, brandishing a shotgun and carrying a gas canister.
Former Secret Service agent Barry Donadio said Trump would have been “notified right away” about the shooting but has yet to respond publicly. Trump’s recent posts instead focused on unrelated political jabs and congratulating the US hockey team.
Donadio explained agents fired due to the serious threat posed by the pump-action shotgun, which can hold four to six rounds and is commonly used by law enforcement and military forces. “If you’re on a secure compound, armed and non-compliant, lethal force is a real risk,” he said.
White House Backs Quick Action Against ‘Crazy Person’
The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt praised the Secret Service for acting “quickly and decisively” to neutralize the “crazy person” at Trump’s home in the middle of the night, armed with a gun and gas canister.
Recap: What We Know So Far
- The incident happened around 1:30am at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach.
- A white man in his twenties entered by driving through a gate as another vehicle exited.
- The suspect carried a shotgun and a gas canister.
- Agents ordered him to drop the weapons; he raised the shotgun in a threatening way.
- Agents fired and killed the man on site.
- Donald and Melania Trump were both in Washington at the time.
- The suspect had been reported missing by family days earlier.
- Authorities say he likely acquired the shotgun en route from North Carolina.
- Palm Beach Sheriff Rick Bradshaw stated Martin was not previously known to law enforcement.
