Washington: A man was shot dead by US Secret Service agents and local police early Sunday morning after an unauthorised entry into the secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago, an estate in Palm Beach, Florida, owned by President Donald Trump.
“On February 22, around 1:30 a.m., a male in his early 20s was shot by US Secret Service agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) following an unauthorized entry into the secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago,” the Secret Service said in a statement.
“The individual, whose identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, was pronounced deceased. The individual was observed by the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago property carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can,” the statement said.
Trump is currently in Washington D.C.. There were no Secret Service protectees present at the location at the time of the incident, Xinhua news agency reported.
US Secret Service agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) confronted the individual, and shots were fired by law enforcement during the encounter. No US Secret Service or PBSO personnel were injured.
The incident, including the individual’s background, actions, potential motive, and the use of force, is under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US Secret Service, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
In September 2024, Ryan Wesley Routh attempted to assassinate Trump, then a presidential candidate, at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. The golf club is only a few miles away from Mar-a-Lago.
Earlier this month, Routh was sentenced to life in prison in federal court after he was found guilty last year of attempting to assassinate Trump.
(IANS)
