Conservative commentator Laura Loomer cited sources to report that the man who broke into President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort on Sunday has been identified as Austin Tucker Martin. She further added that he was a white male and a US citizen. This comes hours after the Secret Service revealed that it fatally shot an armed suspect trying to breach the Palm Beach resort’s perimeter.
To add to Loomer’s report, Local 10, The Star Democrat and The Associated Press also cited soures to identify Austin Tucker Martin. According to local media reports, Martin was 21 years old.
“Source tells me the name of the white male shooter who was shot and killed at Mar a Lago today trying to shoot up the President’s home with a shotgun and gas canister is Austin Tucker Martin. He is a US Citizen,” Loomer said on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
The far-right influencer added that Martin was reported missing by his family in North Carolina, something that the Secret Service already confirmed about the suspect. She also attached alleged photos of the suspect.
“His aunt said on Facebook his family contacted the FBI to report him missing….” Loomer tweeted.
Who is Austin Tucker Martin?
Martin drove into the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago before being shot and killed early Sunday morning. He was from North Carolina, and had a gas can and a shotgun, according to Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi. He had been reported missing by his family a few days ago, and investigators believe he headed south and picked up the shotgun along the way.
Guglielmi said a box for the weapon was discovered in the man’s vehicle after the incident, which took place around 1:30 AM local time.
After entering near the north gate of the property, Martin was confronted by two Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.
“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,” Bradshaw said at a brief press conference. The two agents and the deputy “fired their weapons to neutralize the threat.”
Trump has faced threats to his life before, including two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign. Although the president often spends weekends at his resort, he and first lady Melania Trump were at the White House when the breach at Mar-a-Lago occurred.
(With AP inputs)