Palm Beach, Florida: An armed man was shot and killed early Sunday morning after entering the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, according to the U.S. Secret Service. The agency said Secret Service agents and a deputy with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office confronted the man near the property’s north gate, and shots were fired during the encounter.
The suspect reportedly was carrying a shotgun and gasoline.
Authorities described the man as being in his early 20s. His name was not released as of Sunday pending notification of next of kin. The Secret Service said no agents or sheriff’s office personnel were injured, and the agency reported there were no protectees at the location at the time of the shooting.
The Secret Service said the man was observed near the north gate carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can. The encounter unfolded at about 1:30 a.m., according to multiple reports citing the Secret Service statement and a subsequent briefing.
Reuters reported that authorities ordered the man to drop the items and that he put down the fuel canister but then raised the shotgun into a firing position, prompting law enforcement to shoot. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said.
The FBI is leading the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
