US President Donald Trump on Saturday shared the first visuals of the gunman who opened fire at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared a CCTV footage where the 31-year-old gunman was seen dashing into the event. As he ran, security officials were also seen taking aim at him.
In another post, he also shared an image of the gunman after he was apprehended by officials. In the image, the suspect is seen lying on the ground, surrounded by security personnel. The suspect was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, of Torrance, California, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.
While addressing reporters at the White House after he and other top leaders of the United States were evacuated from an annual dinner of White House correspondents on Saturday, Trump said the suspect was armed with multiple weapons and described him as a "lone wolf." "In my opinion, he was a lone wolf," Trump said, describing the man as a "whack job" and saying he felt there was no reason to believe the attack was connected to the war in Iran.
One officer was shot, but he was protected by a bulletproof vest. "He was shot from very close distance with a very powerful gun, and the vest did the job," Trump said. Authorities said the incident occurred outside the subterranean ballroom where Trump and other guests were seated. After an initial attempt to resume, the event was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
Quoting sources familiar with the situation, Fox News reported that the individual attempted to get through security screening with a gun but was stopped by the Secret Service before entering the ballroom. The suspect has since been taken "offsite." "The shooter charged the magnetometer closest to the front door... and took a shot at a Secret Service member at the ballroom," a Fox news journalist described what he was told directly from top White House officials.
Meanwhile, the Secret Service said that it is investigating the incident in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department. "The US Secret Service, in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department, is investigating a shooting incident near the main magnetometer screening area at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. The president and the first lady are safe along all protectees," the Secret Service said in a social media post on X. "One individual is in custody. The condition of those involved is not yet known, and law enforcement is actively assessing the situation," the agency added.
