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The man shot dead near Donald Trump's estate was a 21-year-old artist from North Carolina.

The man shot dead near Donald Trump's estate was a 21-year-old artist from North Carolina.

Boris Bodnar Journalist

23 February 2026, 10:15

The man shot dead near Donald Trump's estate was a 21-year-old artist from North Carolina. — A US Secret Service agent stands at the entrance to Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, Photo Jose More VWPics IMAGO

The man who was shot dead on the night of 22 February while attempting to enter the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida was identified as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin. His identity was confirmed by American media outlets, citing a statement from the Moore County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina and posts by his relatives.

According to law enforcement officials, on Saturday night, Martin's relative contacted the sheriff to report him missing since Saturday evening. After that, the man was entered into the national missing persons database. Subsequently, federal authorities informed the sheriff's office that an active investigation was underway in Florida regarding Martin. The agency noted that there had been no previous cases involving him. Questions regarding the shooting were recommended to be addressed to the FBI office in Miami and the US Secret Service.

Martin lived in Cameron, North Carolina. His cousin, Braeden Fields, told ABC News that Martin was a quiet man, had no experience with firearms, and loved to draw golf course landscapes. He worked at a golf club, posted photos and drawings on social media, and in 2025 founded a company that did such work on commission.

Fields also said that Martin was not interested in guns. According to him, relatives took him to the shooting range, but he did not touch firearms other than an air rifle. According to Fields, the family members support Donald Trump, but Martin himself did not discuss politics. He is registered as an independent voter on the state's electoral rolls.

According to law enforcement officials, at around 1:30 a.m. local time, the man drove through the open gates of the estate as another car was leaving the premises. Relatives reported that he left home in a silver Volkswagen. According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff, a similar car was found near the scene of the incident.

The sheriff said the man was ordered to drop two items he was carrying. According to him, Martin dropped a petrol can and raised a shotgun in a firing position. After that, two agents and a deputy sheriff opened fire to neutralise the threat. The sheriff's office released a photo of the shotgun and canister, which they said were in Martin's possession.

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