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Austin Tucker Martin - Mar-a-Lago - Officially Reported Missing 8 Minutes AFTER he was shot

  • Writer: 17GEN4
    17GEN4
  • Feb 23
  • 9 min read

Make and Model of the firearm has not been released to the public at this time.


Image looks almost celestial in nature. 'written in the stars'



Look at the image above, then look at this image: Blood Moon 2026 - Total Lunar Eclipse 2026 - March 2-3, 2026




The incident at Mar-a-Lago involving a 21-year-old man from North Carolina who was fatally shot by U.S. Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputy(?) early Sunday morning (February 22, 2026), continues to dominate mainstream media coverage today.


President Donald Trump was not present at his Palm Beach resort at the time—he was in Washington, D.C.—and no law enforcement officers were injured.


Key details expected in today's reporting across major outlets (based on ongoing investigations and fresh profiles emerging):


  • The suspect has been identified as Austin Tucker Martin, a 21-year-old recent high school graduate from Cameron or Moore County, North Carolina. He reportedly drove approximately 700 miles south after being reported missing by his family shortly before the incident.


  • Authorities state that Martin breached the secure perimeter by driving through the north gate as another vehicle was exiting around 1:30 a.m. ET. He was observed carrying what appeared to be a shotgun (with its box later found in his vehicle, suggesting he acquired it en route) and a fuel canister.


  • During the confrontation inside the perimeter, officers ordered him to drop the items. He reportedly set down the fuel can but raised the shotgun to a firing position, prompting the agents and deputy to open fire. He was pronounced dead at the scene.


  • The FBI is leading the investigation, with the Secret Service agents placed on routine administrative leave. No motive has been officially confirmed, though early reports describe Martin as quiet, mild-mannered, and from a family of Trump supporters. Relatives have portrayed him as inexperienced with firearms and apolitical in nature. Some coverage highlights his interest in art, specifically handmade drawings of golf courses through a small business he started.


  • Media outlets are framing the event in the context of prior threats to Trump, including the two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign (one in Butler, Pennsylvania, and one at his West Palm Beach golf course nearby). Commentators may discuss it as part of a pattern of security breaches or political violence, with some noting the "horrifying" normalization of such incidents.


  • Official statements include praise for the Secret Service's "quick and decisive" response from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and expressions of gratitude from figures like Attorney General Pam Bondi. Democratic leaders, such as Rep. Lois Frankel (whose district includes Mar-a-Lago), condemned political violence and thanked law enforcement.


Expect continued updates throughout the day potentially including:


  • Further family interviews or background on Martin's life.


  • Analysis of how he accessed the perimeter despite security protocols.


  • Broader discussions on Secret Service protocols, especially rare fatal uses of force in the agency's history.


  • Any new statements from the White House or Trump himself (none reported yet on the incident).


Photos of the recovered shotgun and fuel can have been released by authorities and are circulating in reports. The story remains active but appears contained as a security breach rather than an active threat to the president.



Austin Tucker Martin was reported missing at approximately 1:38 a.m. on Sunday, February 22, 2026, according to the Moore County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina.


This occurred just minutes after (or around the same time as) the incident at Mar-a-Lago, where he breached the secure perimeter around 1:30 a.m. ET and was fatally shot by U.S. Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff's deputy.Key details from official statements and mainstream reporting:


  • A relative approached a deputy at a local business and reported him missing.

  • He was immediately entered into a national missing persons database.

  • The sheriff's office had no prior history with Martin before this report.

  • Federal authorities later contacted the sheriff's office about their active investigation in Florida and took over the missing person case information.


Family members, including his mother Melissa Martin, had posted on social media earlier seeking help to locate him, noting he was last heard from around 7:51 p.m. on Saturday, February 21, and last seen in the afternoon that day. Some reports describe the family as having contacted authorities or posted pleas "over the weekend" or "a few days ago," but the official formal report to law enforcement occurred at 1:38 a.m. Sunday.


The timing highlights the rapid sequence: Martin appears to have driven ~700 miles south from North Carolina, acquired a shotgun en route (per investigators), breached the perimeter, and was confronted—while his family was simultaneously reporting his disappearance back home. No motive has been confirmed, and the FBI continues to lead the probe.



While the official timeline from the Moore County Sheriff's Office confirms Austin Tucker Martin was formally reported missing to law enforcement at 1:38 a.m. ET on Sunday, February 22, 2026—mere minutes after the Mar-a-Lago incident—several early media reports and social media posts inaccurately described the missing person report as occurring "a few days" or "days" earlier. This phrasing could align with claims of 3-4 days prior (e.g., February 18-19), though it appears to stem from initial confusion between family social media pleas (posted around 7 a.m. Sunday, noting he was last heard from on Saturday evening, February 21) and the official police filing. No sources explicitly state "3-4 days," but the following represent those using "a few days" or similar loose terminology:


  • A NewsNation report described Martin as "reported missing a few days ago by his family," before clarifying the exact 1:40 a.m. Sunday timing.


  • An Associated Press-syndicated story via OPB stated he "had been reported missing by his family a few days ago."


  • A Local 10 News article noted authorities said "his family had recently reported him missing," but earlier drafts or related wires used "a few days ago."


  • An ABC 33/40 report claimed "the shooter was reported missing in North Carolina by his family a few days ago."


  • Sky News reported him as "a 21-year-old who was reported missing by his family a few days ago."


  • France 24 stated he "had been reported missing by his family a few days earlier."


  • A Hindustan Times piece mentioned "He had been reported missing by his family a few days ago."


  • A WFMJ report echoed he "had been reported missing by his family a few days ago."



The FBI visited Austin Tucker Martin’s home in Cameron, North Carolina, on Sunday afternoon, February 22, 2026, shortly after the incident at Mar-a-Lago and the identification of Martin as the suspect.Key details from mainstream reporting:

  • WRAL News (a local NBC affiliate in North Carolina) reported that officials told them the FBI was at Martin's home in Cameron on Sunday afternoon. Vehicles were observed blocking the entrance to the property, listed in public records as his address at the end of a private road.


  • Similar accounts appeared in other outlets, including the Associated Press (syndicated widely), The New York Times, and local stations like WXII 12 News, which noted the area was quiet with vehicles coming and going (though not explicitly marked law enforcement in all descriptions). Neighbors expressed shock to reporters, and one neighbor mentioned learning of the missing person report earlier in the day.


  • The Moore County Sheriff's Office had no prior history with Martin and did not indicate any local deputies visited the home for a welfare check or similar action prior to the incident. The missing person report was filed directly by a relative approaching a deputy at a local business at 1:38 a.m. ET Sunday—after the ~1:30 a.m. shooting in Florida—and handled administratively by entering him into a national database. The sheriff's office then transferred the case info to federal investigators upon notification of the Florida probe.


No reports mention Moore County Sheriff's deputies conducting a home visit or welfare check themselves. The activity at the residence appears tied to the FBI's investigation into the Mar-a-Lago breach (led federally), likely for evidence collection, interviews with family, or scene examination given the timing and context.This aligns with standard protocol for such cross-state incidents involving potential threats to a protected site/residence like Mar-a-Lago. No further details on what was found or discussed at the home have been publicly released as the FBI continues leading the probe.



The specific name of the business where the relative reported Austin Tucker Martin missing has not been publicly disclosed in any mainstream media reports or official statements.


According to the Moore County Sheriff's Office official clarification (posted on their Facebook page and referenced across multiple outlets), a relative "approached a deputy at a local business" at approximately 1:38 a.m. on February 22, 2026, to report him missing. The statement describes it generically as "a local business" without identifying the establishment by name, address, or type (e.g., no mention of a gas station, convenience store, restaurant, or specific location in Cameron or Carthage, NC).This phrasing is consistently repeated in coverage from reliable sources, including:


  • WXII 12 News (Winston-Salem NBC affiliate): "a relative approached a deputy at a local business at about 1:38 a.m. on Sunday."


  • 6ABC (Philadelphia ABC affiliate, citing sheriff's office): "approached a deputy at a local business."


  • The Fayetteville Observer: "approached a deputy at a local business."


  • NewsNation and other syndications: Similar wording, often directly quoting or paraphrasing the sheriff's release.


No reports provide further details on the business, likely due to privacy, operational, or investigative reasons (e.g., the deputy was likely on routine patrol or off-duty but in uniform at the location). The sheriff's office emphasized they had no prior history with Martin and transferred the case to federal authorities shortly after.


The incident's rapid timeline—shooting at ~1:30 a.m. ET in Florida, report at ~1:38 a.m. in North Carolina—has been highlighted, but the business remains unnamed in all available public information as of today (February 23, 2026). If additional details emerge from the ongoing FBI-led investigation, they may be released later.



Here are direct links to official or mainstream news reports that include or describe the photo of the recovered weapon (a shotgun) and fuel canister from the Mar-a-Lago incident involving Austin Tucker Martin. The photo was released by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office during Sheriff Ric Bradshaw's news conference on February 22, 2026, and has been embedded or referenced in coverage.



These stem from the official press conference where authorities (primarily Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, with Secret Service input) presented the image as evidence. No direct links to raw sheriff's office or FBI photo releases appear in public domains yet (as investigations are ongoing), but the above mainstream outlets captured and published it from the official briefing. If embedded images aren't loading, search the article for "shotgun" or "photo released by sheriff" for visuals. Updates may add more as the FBI probe continues.


The make and model of the firearm recovered at the Mar-a-Lago incident involving Austin Tucker Martin have not been publicly disclosed by authorities or in any mainstream news reports as of February 23, 2026.


Key points from official statements and coverage:


  • The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (led by Sheriff Ric Bradshaw) released a photo during a February 22 press conference showing the recovered shotgun alongside the fuel/gas canister. The image depicts a standard pump-action or similar shotgun (based on visual descriptions in reports), but no specific identifiers like brand (e.g., Remington, Mossberg, Winchester), model number, gauge (e.g., 12-gauge), or serial details were mentioned.


  • Authorities described it generically as a shotgun throughout: Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi noted the suspect carried "what appeared to be a shotgun," and investigators believe he acquired it en route south from North Carolina (with the original box recovered in his vehicle).


  • Reports from outlets like NBC News, WRAL, WPBF, CBS affiliates, and others reference the released photo but do not provide make/model information, likely withheld for investigative reasons (ongoing FBI lead probe into motive, acquisition, and potential threats).


  • No updates in coverage (e.g., from AP, NYT, Washington Post, NewsNation) specify further details on the firearm beyond "shotgun."


If the photo shows distinguishing features (e.g., visible markings, pump style, barrel length), experts or observers might speculate, but official sources have not confirmed any specifics. The focus remains on the incident timeline, Martin's background (quiet, inexperienced with guns per family), and security response rather than weapon forensics. As the investigation progresses, more details could emerge, but none are available publicly yet. For visuals of the released evidence photo, refer to reports like:



These include the authority-provided image without labeled make/model info.




 
 
 

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