Austin Tucker Martin has been identified as the gunman who stormed President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach in the early hours of Sunday. The Secret Service said the 21-year-old was shot and killed at the scene.
Trump has faced several threats over the past two years, including two assassination attempts during his 2024 presidential campaign. The 79-year-old and his wife, Melania, often spend weekends in Palm Beach. But they were at the White House on Saturday night when the Mar-a-Lago hack occurred. The White House has not yet issued a statement.
Read more: Austin Tucker Martin: Alleged photos of armed suspect emerge at Mar-a-Lago, social media posts of missing family member
5 Key Things to Know About Austin Tucker Martin
Drive to a safe perimeter
Austin Tucker Martin was armed and drove his car to the safety of Mar-a-Lago around 1:30 a.m. local time on Sunday. He was shot and killed by a Secret Service agent. His family has been notified.
Austin Tucker Martin was armed
The Secret Service revealed that Austin Tucker Martin had a gas can and a shotgun. Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi even showed off a photo of his weapon at a news conference Sunday morning.
Missing from North Carolina
The 21-year-old was reported missing by his family a few days ago, and investigators believe he headed south and picked up the gun along the way. Guglielmi said a gun box was discovered in the man’s car after the incident.
A message from the family
Conservative commentator Laura Loomer reported that Martin’s family posted about his disappearance on social media. Loomer reported that Chrissie Fields, believed to be the suspect’s aunt, wrote in one post, “My nephew Austin Tucker Martin is missing. He left home at 1:00 PM yesterday and has not contacted anyone since 7:51 yesterday. This is not like him at all. Vas/Southern Pines area. Local police are involved and they have also contacted the FBI. Please reach out if you have seen him.”
A missing person’s flyer shared online reads: “Tucker Austin Martin was last heard from on February 21 at 7:51 PM! He drives a silver 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan approximately 6 feet tall and lives in the Carthage NC area.”
Austin Tucker Martin defended
“He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that they had on them. At that time, he dropped the gas can and raised the gun to the firing position,” officials said at a news conference. The two agents and the deputy “fired their weapons to neutralize the threat.”
Investigators said they are currently working to compile a psychological profile, and the motive remains under investigation. Asked if the person was known to law enforcement, officials said, “Not yet.”
