Man armed with shotgun & fuel can breaks into Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home before being shot dead by cops

A MAN armed with a shotgun and a fuel can has been shot dead after breaking into Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.

The Secret Service confirmed it had “neutralised” the white male suspect in his 20s after he entered the secure perimeter of the US president’s Florida home.  The deadly shooting unfolded at around 1:30am local time (6:30am GMT) on Sunday, authorities said.

Trump is currently in Washington, not at his famous 62,500-square-foot property in West ​Palm Beach, Florida.  The name of the suspect who was shot dead has not been released.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Palm Beach County Sheriff Brad Shaw said: “At 1:30am this morning the security detail detected that an individual had made his way into the inner perimeter of Mar-a-Lago.”

He said that a local deputy and two Secret Service agents then went to the area to investigate before encountering a white male that was “carrying a gas can and a shotgun”.

The man was then ordered to “drop the items” he was holding.  He lowered the gas canister but raised the shotgun into “a shooting position”.

The three officers then “neutralised the threat”, Shaw said.  Special Agent Rafael Barros said: “We want to be clear – the president of the United States was not in Florida.”

Authorities also urged locals to come forward with any information including any CCTV footage.  The special agent in charge of the FBI’s Miami field office Brett Skiles said: “If you live in the area of the shooting, please check your exterior cameras for last night, early this morning.

“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.”  The amount of shots that were fired is also currently unclear, pending the FBI investigation.

The Secret Service said: “On February 22, around 1:30a.m., a male in his early 20s was shot by U.S. Secret Service agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) following an unauthorized entry into the secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago.

“The individual, whose identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, was pronounced deceased.”  They added that the man was seen at the north gate of the property holding what appeared to be “a shotgun and a fuel can”.

Authorities added: “U.S. Secret Service agents and a PBSO deputy confronted the individual and shots were fired by law enforcement during the encounter.”

They also confirmed that no official personnel had been injured during the shooting.  The suspect’s background, actions, and potential motive are being investigated by the FBI, the US Secret Service, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.  He was sentenced to life in prison earlier this month.