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riversedge

(80,274 posts) Sun Feb 22, 2026, 07:56 PM 16 hrs ago

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

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/

‪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

11 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Mar-A-Lago Armed Gunman Fixated On Epstein Files Week Before Shooting (Original Post) riversedge 16 hrs ago OP

I wish he'd done his research on the travel schedule jmbar2 16 hrs ago #1

Sounds like he was in chaos............... Lovie777 16 hrs ago #2

yep. another 'all over the map' - 'down the rabbit hole' conspiracy connoisseur stopdiggin 15 hrs ago #4

Well said. hamsterjill 15 hrs ago #5

Very conflicted UpInArms 15 hrs ago #3

Leavitt said that the Secret Service "neutralized a crazy person". mwb970 4 hrs ago #6

Did she mention if he was Antifa sent by Soros? durablend 3 hrs ago #8

Kash was busy at the Olympics so he didn't have time to scratch antifa memes travelingthrulife 2 hrs ago #10

A Trump supporter and a union organizer? Ray Bruns 3 hrs ago #7

Fixated on the Epstein files. Well, who, except the media, is not fixated on travelingthrulife 2 hrs ago #9

Why was he killed? ramapo 2 hrs ago #11

jmbar2

(7,861 posts)

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

Reply to riversedge (Original post)

Sun Feb 22, 2026, 07:59 PM

16 hrs ago

Failing to plan is planning to fail.

Lovie777

(22,454 posts)

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

Reply to riversedge (Original post)

Sun Feb 22, 2026, 08:06 PM

16 hrs ago

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

stopdiggin

(15,270 posts)

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

Reply to Lovie777 (Reply #2)

Sun Feb 22, 2026, 08:50 PM

15 hrs ago

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

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

hamsterjill

(17,286 posts)

5. Well said.

Reply to stopdiggin (Reply #4)

Sun Feb 22, 2026, 09:07 PM

15 hrs ago

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

(54,600 posts)

3. Very conflicted

Reply to riversedge (Original post)

Sun Feb 22, 2026, 08:19 PM

15 hrs ago

I guess his brain could not deal with the cognitive dissonance

mwb970

(12,117 posts)

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

Reply to riversedge (Original post)

Mon Feb 23, 2026, 08:00 AM

4 hrs ago

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

durablend

(9,140 posts)

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

Reply to mwb970 (Reply #6)

Mon Feb 23, 2026, 08:56 AM

3 hrs ago

travelingthrulife

(4,960 posts)

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

Reply to durablend (Reply #8)

Mon Feb 23, 2026, 09:20 AM

2 hrs ago

on the bullet casings.

Ray Bruns

(6,169 posts)

7. A Trump supporter and a union organizer?

Reply to riversedge (Original post)

Mon Feb 23, 2026, 08:21 AM

3 hrs ago

travelingthrulife

(4,960 posts)

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

Reply to riversedge (Original post)

Mon Feb 23, 2026, 09:19 AM

2 hrs ago

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

ramapo

(4,776 posts)

11. Why was he killed?

Reply to riversedge (Original post)

Mon Feb 23, 2026, 09:52 AM

2 hrs ago

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.

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