Kathmandu, Feb 23: A man was shot and killed by the US Secret Service after entering the secure area of US President Donald Trump’s Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago. Trump was in Washington, D.C. at the time of the incident.

The man was confronted by Secret Service agents and officers from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Rick Bradshaw told reporters that security personnel found a can of gasoline and a gun in the man’s possession.

According to Bradshaw, the man was ordered to drop his weapon. He reportedly put down the gasoline can but raised the gun into a firing position, prompting agents to open fire to eliminate what they described as an immediate threat.

The operation involved both the Secret Service and the sheriff’s office. No officers were injured in the incident, and Trump and his family are safe.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant said he had spoken with President Trump and confirmed the safety of his family, adding that such attacks should not happen again. He stated that the security perimeter around the president is tighter than ever and that the Secret Service is better equipped than it was during the 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. Besant also blamed the political violence on leftists.

BBC White House correspondent Bernard Debsman Jr. described Mar-a-Lago as having strict security, with local sheriffs guarding the outer perimeter and security personnel managing the inner perimeter. Visitors are searched, and vehicles and bags are screened using sniffer dogs and metal detectors.

Debsman said the incident would likely heighten concerns about political violence in the United States, particularly following previous attacks on Trump and the recent shooting of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. Authorities are continuing investigations into the identity and motive of the deceased individual.