Florida authorities arrested a 41-year-old man named Michael Jeffrey Rodrigues outside the Palm Beach International Airport on Tuesday morning, according to US reports.
In what is being seen officials having averted a potential mass shooting incident, Rodrigues was found in a rental car that was packed with ammunition. Consisting of an AR-15 rifle with at least two loaded magazines, and several knives, the vehicle in question was parked outside the bustling airport in Florida that is often frequented by US President Donald Trump. Officials, as cited by Fox News, eventually confirmed that the MAGA leader is not currently in the US state.
Michael Rodrigues’ arrest video released: Palm Beach authorities
At about 7:10 am (local time), Airport Operations personnel alerted the the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) deputies about a suspicious man in a restricted parking area at the airport. When the authorities arrived at the scene Tuesday morning, they caught him getting dressed outside the dark-coloured car. While opening the vehicle’s gloves compartment to retrieve the rental agreement, officers chanced upon a “fully loaded AR-15 magazine inside.”
They eventually launched a deep search of the car and stumbled across a “fully loaded AR-15 rifle and multiple knives” hidden under a blanket on the seat, as per the PBSO’s official social media release. Visuals of all the arms and ammunition recovered during the search were posted on the Palm Beach officials’ X page.
Subsequently, they also released an arrest video of the man identified as Michael Rodrigues. He was wearing a baggy Miami Heat jersey and a pair of white pants, as he was escorted out of a building into a police car by the deputies.
On Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at approximately 7:10 a.m., Airport Operations personnel notified PBSO deputies of a suspicious male observed outside a dark-colored vehicle parked within a restricted vehicular parking area at the airport.
— PBSO (@PBCountySheriff) August 5, 2025
Upon arrival, deputies observed the… pic.twitter.com/pssJJzuCOr
Detectives are currently investigation the case. As a result, charges against Rodrigues are awaited. Stay tuned for more information.
In other new, Ryan Routh, the man charged with attempting to assassinate Donald Trump near West Palm Beach during his 2024 presidential campaign has been allowed to represent himself in court. The would-be assassin’s trial is set to begin in Fort Pierce, Florida, on September 8.
This is a breaking story. More Information will be added soon…