Was Austin Tucker Martin a Democrat? What was his motive? Karoline Leavitt has spearheaded criticism of the Democratic Party, accusing its members of hostility toward Trump following an apparent assassination attempt on him in the early hours of Sunday.
Authorities said a 21-year-old North Carolina man, identified as Austin Tucker Martin, breached the security perimeter at Mar-a-Lago while armed with a shotgun. He was shot and killed around 1:30 a.m. by Secret Service agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. Trump and First Lady Melania were not in Florida at the time of the incident, having spent the night at the White House in Washington, DC.
Pointing Fingers at Democrats
In the aftermath of the incident — which Republican Party figures have labeled a third assassination attempt on the president — Leavitt put the blame squarely on Democratic Party leaders. She pointed to last week's government shutdown, arguing that it put thousands of federal law enforcement officers at risk and weakened overall security protections for Trump.
She wrote: "In the middle of the night while most Americans were asleep, the United States Secret Service acted quickly and decisively to neutralize a crazy person, armed with a gun and a gas canister, who intruded President Trump's home.
"Federal law enforcement are working 24/7 to keep our country safe and protect all Americans.
"It's shameful and reckless that Democrats have chosen to shut down their Department."
Florida Congressman Brian Mast said on Fox News Sunday that he "absolutely" believes the overnight incident amounted to a third assassination attempt on Donald Trump. "If somebody is coming to the president's home with a firearm, with a gas can, with something incendiary or something explosive," Mast began.
"You have to believe they have an intent to conduct an attack against the president of the United States of America, or his family, or his friends," the congressman concluded.
This came as it was revealed that Tucker Martin of North Carolina had recently been reported missing by his mother. Martin's family had reported him missing to police just a day earlier, on Saturday, as concern grew over his whereabouts.
Tucker Martin's social media reveals a deep passion for art, particularly sketches of golf course landscapes across North Carolina's Sandhills region, including the iconic Pinehurst. The incident happened near the north side around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday in Palm Beach. President Trump and First Lady Melania were in Washington, DC that night, attending the Governors' Dinner.
Two Secret Service agents and a deputy with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office ordered the man to drop his weapons.
"They confronted a white male that was carrying a gas can and a shotgun. He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with him," Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at a press conference on Sunday morning.
Danger Avoided
Investigators said the suspect initially dropped the fuel can but then raised his gun into a firing position, prompting officers to open fire. "At that point, the deputy and the two Secret Service agents discharged their weapons and neutralized the threat. He is deceased at the scene," Bradshaw said.
Authorities confirmed that no agents with the Secret Service or deputies from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office were injured during the incident.
"At this time, no law enforcement personnel were injured during the incident. We want to be clear, the President of the United States was not in the state of Florida," said Rafael Barros, the Special Agent in Charge at the Secret Service Miami field office.
Bradshaw released a single photo from the scene showing the gas can and shotgun recovered after the confrontation.
Authorities have not yet publicly identified the man, as they are still notifying his next of kin. He was believed to be in his early 20s, from North Carolina, and had been reported missing by his family several days earlier.
Investigators believe he left North Carolina and traveled south, picking up a shotgun along the way, Anthony Guglielmi told the Associated Press. The box for the firearm was later found inside his vehicle.
Officials said the man drove through the north gate of Mar-a-Lago as another vehicle was exiting, at which point he was confronted by agents from the United States Secret Service.
The FBI is now leading the investigation and has asked nearby residents to review their security cameras for any footage that could help piece together what happened before the incident.
"If you live in the area of the shooting, please check your exterior cameras for last night, early this morning," Brett Skiles, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Miami field office, said.
"If you see anything that looks suspicious or out of place, please contact us. Call FBI or contact the West Palm Beach Sheriff's Office."
