Motive probed in fatal Mar-a-Lago shooting of armed man as Trump speaks out

Investigators are trying to figure out a motive for why a 21-year-old man, allegedly armed with a gas can and a shotgun, breached the perimeter of President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort before being fatally shot by two U.S. Secret Service agents and a deputy sheriff.

While he did not specifically address the shooting, Trump, the victim of two assassination attempts since July 2024, spoke out on Monday about “crazy shooters” and why they have possibly targeted him.

“You know, you read about all these crazy shooters, but they only go after consequential presidents. They don’t go after non-consequential presidents,” Trump said at a White House event proclaimed “National Angel Family Day” to honor victims killed by undocumented migrants.

The president added, “If you take a look, Abraham Lincoln, some big … some big ones; John Kennedy, in a certain way, was very consequential. He represented something very important. He was there for a thousand days, as you know the book … ‘A Thousand Days.’ But he was consequential. There was a glamour, there was something good for our country, right?”

Trump went on to say, “So, maybe I want to be a little less consequential.”

The president was in Washington on Sunday, and no Secret Service protectees were at his Palm Beach, Florida, estate when the shooting occurred, according to Secret Service officials.

The man killed at Mar-a-Lago was identified as Austin Tucker Martin of Moore County, North Carolina, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at a news conference on Sunday.

Bradshaw said Martin was fatally shot around 1:30 a.m. local time on Sunday after he allegedly made his way into the inner perimeter of Mar-a-Lago. Martin was quickly confronted by law enforcement officers, but allegedly refused orders to drop his shotgun and gas can, the sheriff said.

Bradshaw said Martin was fatally shot by the officers when he allegedly “raised the shotgun to a shooting position.”

Investigators have yet to say how many shots were fired in the incident and whether the alleged intruder fired at the law enforcement officers, who were part of the security detail at Mar-a-Lago, Bradshaw said. During Sunday’s news conference, Bradshaw said it wasn’t yet known whether the shotgun was loaded.

In searching for a motive, one theory investigators are exploring is that Martin might have been angered by the Epstein files, sources familiar with the investigation told ABC News. Writings found in Martin’s vehicle mentioned the Epstein files, according to sources. 

Investigators are also looking at Martin’s physiocratic history. Martin’s family reported him missing to the Carthage, North Carolina, Police Department before the shooting, and his relatives told police they last heard from him about 7:51 p.m. on Saturday, according to a missing persons flyer released by police.

Secret Service Director Sean Curran flew to Florida on Sunday to oversee the after-action review of the shooting. The box in which the gun was purchased was also found in Martin’s vehicle.

Investigators are also attempting to recreate Martin’s 700-mile drive from North Carolina to Florida to see if he communicated anything or interacted with anyone along the way, sources said.

Martin’s cousin, Braeden Fields, told ABC station WTVD in Durham, North Carolina, that Martin was “very quiet” and inexperienced with guns.

“He doesn’t even know how to use a gun. He’s never used a gun,” Fields said.

Fields also said he never heard his cousin espousing strong political views.

“We grew up together, practically,” Fields said. “I never, I wouldn’t believe that he would do something like this. Mind-blowing.” 

ABC News’ Josh Margolin and Pierre Thomas contributed to this report.