Armed man shot dead after entering perimeter of Mar-a-Lago

The US Secret Service has announced that an armed man was shot and killed after entering the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

Although Mr Trump often spends weekends at his resort, he was at the White House during this incident.

First lady Melania Trump was also with the president at the White House on Saturday night.

The name of the person who was shot has not been released.

According to the Secret Service, he was “observed by the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago property carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can”.

The incident took place at 1.30am on Sunday.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Rick Bradshaw, speaking at a brief press conference, said the man was confronted by two Secret Service agents and a sheriff’s deputy.

“He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with them. At which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position,” Mr Bradshaw said.

The two agents and the deputy “fired their weapons to neutralise the threat”.

The FBI asked residents who live near Mar-a-Lago to check any security cameras they may have for footage that could help investigators.

The suspect, who was in his early 20s and from North Carolina, was reported missing a few days ago by his family.

Investigators believe he left North Carolina and headed south, picking up a shotgun along the way, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said, adding that the box for the gun was recovered in his vehicle.

Mr Guglielmi said the man drove through the north gate of Mar-a-Lago as another vehicle was exiting.

Investigators are working to compile a psychological profile and a motive is still under investigation.

Asked whether the individual was known to law enforcement, Mr Bradshaw said “not right now”.

The incident comes as the US has been rocked multiple times in recent years by political violence.

Just last year, it included the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the assassination of the Democratic leader in the Minnesota state house and her husband and the shooting of another legislator and his wife, and an arson attack at the official residence of Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro.

The incursion on Saturday at Mr Trump’s Florida home is a few miles from his West Palm Beach golf club, where a man tried to assassinate Mr Trump while he played golf during the 2024 election.

A Secret Service agent spotted that man, Ryan Routh, aiming a rifle through the shrubbery before Mr Trump came into view.

Officials said Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire and caused Routh to drop his weapon.

Routh was found guilty last year and sentenced this month to life in prison.

That incident came months after Mr Trump survived an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania campaign rally.

That gunman had fired eight shots, with one bullet grazing Mr Trump’s ear, before being shot by a Secret Service counter sniper.