In the state of Florida in the city of Palm Beach, Secret Service officers opened fire on a man who illegally entered the protected grounds of Mar-a-Lago Manor overnight. The incident occurred around 1: 30 local time on Sunday, 22 February.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the man, who was “just over 20 years old”, was fatally shot after “illegally entering a secure perimeter”. Two Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputy arrived on the scene.
According to Palm Beach County Sheriff Rick Bradshaw, law enforcement officers ordered the man to drop the items he was holding. He put down the fuel canister, but raised the shotgun to the firing position before law enforcement opened fire and “neutralised the threat”.
It is now being determined who exactly fired the fatal shot-a Secret Service agent or a local sheriff’s deputy. The FBI is leading the investigation.
The Secret Service noted that no law enforcement officers were injured during the incident. The name of the deceased is being withheld pending word from relatives.
The president was in Washington during the event, but he often spends weekends at his Florida residence. White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said law enforcement responded “quickly and decisively to an armed individual” who was allegedly “carrying a handgun and a canister of fuel”.
During the briefing, an FBI spokeswoman urged residents living near Mar-a-Lago Manor to check surveillance footage and report any suspicious activity to the agency.