Secret Service acts decisively as armed suspect approaches presidential stronghold in Florida.
U.S. Secret Service officials confirmed Sunday that an armed individual was shot and killed after breaching the secure perimeter at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
According to authorities, the suspect was spotted near the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago property at approximately 1:30 a.m. EST carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel container. The presence of both a firearm and an accelerant raised immediate alarm among protective personnel assigned to safeguard the estate.
At the time of the incident, President Trump was in Washington at the White House and not present at the Florida residence. Secret Service agents, working alongside a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, engaged the armed individual after he crossed into the restricted perimeter. The suspect was fatally shot at the scene.
Officials have not yet released the identity of the deceased, and an investigation is underway to determine motive and whether the breach was part of a broader threat. The Secret Service emphasized that protective protocols functioned as designed, preventing a potentially catastrophic escalation.
The incident underscores the heightened security posture surrounding current and former U.S. presidents, particularly amid ongoing political tensions and global instability. Federal and local authorities are expected to provide additional details as the investigation progresses.
