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A 31-year-old gunman attempted to breach security at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington, D.C., leading to the evacuation of President Trump and other officials. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated the suspect was believed to be targeting Trump administration members, with one Secret Service officer injured but expected to recover.
reason.comA gunman opened fire outside the ballroom at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday, prompting the evacuation of President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and other cabinet members. , with attendees hearing between five and eight shots.
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Secret Service agents quickly responded, tackling the suspect and taking him into custody. The suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California, is believed to have traveled by train from California to Chicago and then to Washington, checking into the hotel on Friday.
Authorities reported he was armed with multiple weapons, including a shotgun, a handgun, and several knives.
Todd Blanche stated that investigators believe the gunman was targeting top Trump administration officials, possibly including the president. Blanche told reporters the analysis is preliminary, and the motive remains under investigation. He added that the suspect could face charges of attempting to assassinate President Trump.
Sources differ on the suspect's fate: multiple outlets reported he was taken into custody alive, while one account stated he was killed. President Trump described the gunman as likely a lone actor. The FBI reported between seven and eight shots were fired, though it is unclear how many came from the suspect versus law enforcement.
“The system worked. Law enforcement and the Secret Service protected all of us. The man barely got past the perimeter.”
Trump praised the Secret Service for their actions, noting in a Truth Social post that the incident highlights the need for a secure ballroom on White House grounds. He announced a press conference from the White House briefing room shortly after the event.
The dinner was disrupted, with chaotic scenes inside the ballroom as agents flooded the area and guests took cover. Footage showed President Trump stumbling and falling to the floor as agents escorted him off stage. Officials are examining how the suspect obtained a gun and approached the security checkpoint.
The suspect, a Caltech graduate who recently won a 'teacher of the month' award, is described as an engineer and indie game developer. Investigations include a search of his apartment. President Trump stated the event would not be canceled despite the disruption.
This incident follows a previous attempt on President Trump's life in Butler, Pennsylvania. Blanche contrasted the security response here positively against that earlier failure. No fatalities were reported, and the Secret Service confirmed President Trump and the first lady were safe.
Attendees described hearing shouts of 'shots fired' and seeing armed agents respond. The shooting added to a series of security close calls for modern presidents. Law enforcement continues to probe whether the gunman acted alone, with President Trump expressing agreement with the lone wolf assessment.
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