Authorities are piecing together the events leading up to the fatal shooting of Austin Tucker Martin, the armed man killed by Secret Service agents outside President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort early Sunday. It has been revealed that the 21-year-old had expressed frustration after the release of the latest trove of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Neither Trump nor First Lady Melania was in Palm Beach when the shooting took place at around 1:30 AM local time. The Secret Service spokesperson revealed that Martin had a gas can and a shotgun. The suspect was from North Carolina, and authorities said his family had recently reported him missing.
He’s believed to have purchased his shotgun while driving south, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said, and a box for the weapon was later discovered in the man’s vehicle.
Fixated on Epstein
Austin Tucker Martin had shown some fixation on the Jeffrey Epstein files and, according to those who knew him, had recently become consumed by conspiracy theories involving government secrecy, TMZ reported, citing texts he sent to a co-worker.
Co-workers at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in North Carolina told the outlet that he was frustrated that powerful figures were “getting away with it,” referring to the Epstein files.
His concerns were also echoed in a text message sent on February 15, 2026, to one of his co-workers. In the message obtained by TMZ, Martin wrote, “I don’t know if you read up on the Epstein Files, but evil is real and unmistakable.” He added, “The best people like you and I can do is use what little influence we have. Tell other people about what you hear about the Epstein files and what the government is doing about it. Raise awareness.”
Support for Trump and Christian faith
Alongside these beliefs, Martin increasingly spoke about his Christian faith and political opinions. According to multiple people who worked with him, he made no secret of his support for Trump and, as recently as late last yea,r praised the former president as a “strong leader.”
Friends and colleagues say Martin appeared genuinely well-intentioned but had grown frustrated with broader economic struggles affecting young Americans. He frequently vented about the cost of living, complaining that moving out required multiple jobs or roommates.
Despite attempting to form a union at his workplace in an effort to secure higher wages, the effort never gained traction. Martin was still living with his parents and was supplementing his income by selling pencil sketches of local landscapes and portraits.
The fatal encounter occurred when Martin allegedly breached a secure perimeter near the north gate of Mar-a-Lago.