Armed man killed at Mar-a-Lago never interested in politics or guns: Cousin

February 23, 2026 at 11:15AM

Armed man killed at Mar-a-Lago never interested in politics or guns: Cousin

A 21-year-old man from North Carolina was killed by law enforcement after driving to Mar-a-Lago with a shotgun and refusing commands. He allegedly breached a gate and raised the firearm when confronted by officers; Trump was not at Mar-a-Lago at the time.

Authorities identified the deceased as Austin Tucker Martin. He worked as a golf course groundskeeper and sold illustrations of golf courses.

A cousin of Martin, Braeden Fields, said he never discussed politics or guns with Martin and cannot explain why he carried out the act.