The suspected shooter at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has been identified. The shooting suspect was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California. Officials told reporters after the incident that Allen was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives.
Chaos erupted when a ‘lone wolf’ opened fire at the annual Washington, D.C., on Saturday (April 25). Donald Trump and Melania Trump were quickly rushed out of the Washington Hilton’s ballroom as the shooter opened fire. He is understood to have been a guest in the Washington Hilton hotel where the event was being held and faces charges including assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon, but acting attorney general Todd Blanche said additional charges will be filed. He reportedly ran into the hotel foyer, trying to get past security officers and metal detectors, at about 12.25am GMT.
Loud bangs could be heard, prompting the Secret Service to rush in and escort the President and First Lady Melania Trump out of the ballroom as they called out “stay down, stay down”.
In a post on his Truth Social account, Mr Trump said: “Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we ‘LET THE SHOW GO ON’ but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement. They will make a decision shortly. Regardless of that decision, the evening will be much different than planned, and we’ll just, plain, have to do it again.”
A second post followed shortly after, which read: ” Law Enforcement has requested that we leave the premises, consistent with protocol, which we will do, immediately. I will be giving a press conference in 30 minutes from the White House Press Briefing Room. The First Lady, plus the Vice President, and all Cabinet members, are in perfect condition. We will be speaking to you in a half an hour. I have spoken with all the representatives in charge of the event, and we will be rescheduling within 30 days.”
He then posted multiple pictures of Allen, who was apprehended on the floor.
Mr Trump was attending the annual event for the first time as president. First Lady Melania Trump, Vice-President JD Vance and hundreds of journalists, media personalities, and government officials were also in attendance.
Today’s shooting incident took place at the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Avenue – the same hotel in which Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded in 1981. On March 30, 1981, the offender, John Hinckley Jr, shot at Mr Reagan as he was returning to his limousine after a speaking engagement inside the hotel.
The 40th president survived, but was seriously wounded by a bullet which ricocheted off the side of a presidential limousine and hit him in the torso, breaking a rib and puncturing one of his lungs.
