Mar-A-Lago Armed Gunman Fixated On Epstein Files Week Before Shooting

[riversedge]

Source: tmz.com



By TMZ Staff Updated February 22, 2026 3:34 PM PST

................

Austin Tucker Martin sent a text message, obtained by TMZ, to a co-worker on February 15, 2026, that read, "I don't know if you read up on the Epstein Files, but evil is real and unmistakable." He continued, "The best people like you and I can do is use what little influence we have. Tell other people about what you hear about the Epstein files and what the government is doing about it. Raise awareness."



................. Co-workers tell us he was deeply disturbed by what he believed was a government cover-up and often talked about powerful people "getting away with it."


At the same time, Austin was outspoken about his Christian faith and political views. We're told he regularly expressed support for Trump, telling colleagues as recently as late last year he believed Trump was a strong leader.

..............

Austin also tried to start a union at work to push for higher wages, but no one signed on. Outside of his job, he was a sketch artist attempting to sell drawings of local scenery and people around town.




Read more: https://www.tmz.com/2026/02/22/mar-a-lago-armed-man-shot-dead-texts-show-epstein-files-fixation/

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‪shauna‬ ‪@goldengateblond.bsky.social‬
· 2h
quelle surprise www.tmz.com/2026/02/22/m...

quelle surprise www.tmz.com/2026/02/22/m...

— shauna (@goldengateblond.bsky.social) 2026-02-22T22:20:13.796Z

[jmbar2]

1. I wish he'd done his research on the travel schedule

Failing to plan is planning to fail.

[Lovie777]

2. Sounds like he was in chaos...............

A Christian, supporter shithole, and was disturbed by the Epstein files.

[stopdiggin]

4. yep. another 'all over the map' - 'down the rabbit hole' conspiracy connoisseur

If you're looking for a coherent agenda or motivation with these people ...
Good luck with that.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[hamsterjill]

5. Well said.

If you try to apply logic to these people, it doesn't work.

I'm wondering if the ones who have the really fervent belief that Trump has been sent by God typically are going to go off the rails when they come to realize that Trump is not who they thought he was. I'm guessing it would be pretty traumatic for someone like that. The person would have to already be a little "off" in some way in order to believe that about Trump. I know a few who do and they are nut cases. The trauma would be realizing that they've been misled.

[UpInArms]

3. Very conflicted

I guess his brain could not deal with the cognitive dissonance

[mwb970]

6. Leavitt said that the Secret Service "neutralized a crazy person".

This is an ironic choice of words, given that the perpetrator was trying, rightly or wrongly, to neutralize a crazy person.

[durablend]

8. Did she mention if he was Antifa sent by Soros?

[travelingthrulife]

10. Kash was busy at the Olympics so he didn't have time to scratch antifa memes

on the bullet casings.

[Ray Bruns]

7. A Trump supporter and a union organizer?

[travelingthrulife]

9. Fixated on the Epstein files. Well, who, except the media, is not fixated on

the evidence that will blow the GOP out of the water.

[ramapo]

11. Why was he killed?

Trump wasn't there so there was no danger to him. Did he point the rifle at LE? I haven't seen that. Sounds like he was a disturbed , there was a lot of LE, and they just shot him dead. I hope I am missing something.

[EX500rider]

14. Is was reported that after being told to drop the firearm he pointed at the security agents

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

12. Another disappointed MAGA

[LudwigPastorius]

13. _

[Mosby]

15. This is just the beginning of the pedo panic.

People believe there is a global pedo ring, where babies are being raped, killed, eaten, girls are having babies torn out of their wombs and murdered by Israeli doctors, Epstein is now considered the worst sexual predator in American history. Worse than Albert Fish, worse than Dahmer.