WASHINGTON — Startling surveillance footage shared by President Trump captures the intense moment a gunman attempted to breach security at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
The assailant, identified by insiders as Cole Allen from Torrance, California, is seen in the grainy video racing past several security personnel, prompting agents to draw their weapons and chase after him.
At the Washington Hilton, which hosts the prestigious event, initial security checks were conducted to confirm that attendees had valid tickets for the dinner or any preliminary parties.
Guests heading into the hotel’s ballroom, the venue for the dinner itself, are required to pass through magnetometer screenings and undergo additional security measures.
Beyond the immediate perimeter screening, there was no further security check before entering the ballroom, consistent with the procedures followed in previous White House Correspondents’ Dinners over the years.
Interim DC police chief Jeffrey Carroll indicated that the suspect, thought to be a hotel guest, attempted to force his way through the fortified security boundary.
Ultimately, agents on the scene were able to pin the suspect down after multiple shots rang out. The 31-year-old was found with two firearms and multiple knives. One Secret Service officer suffered a minor injury after getting shot in their bulletproof vest.
Authorities believe Allen acted alone.
Records indicate that Allen was a teacher and video game developer, having earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology.
Trump also posted images of a shirtless Allen pinned to the ground after responding officers detained him.
Allen is facing two counts of discharging a firearm during a crime and one count of assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon, according to US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro.
He is set to be arraigned on April 27.
The president and top cabinet officials who attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner were frantically rushed out of the ballroom after shots were fired.
Over 2,500 journalists and other guests had gathered in the ballroom for the dinner.
Trump declared Saturday that there would be another White House Correspondents’ Dinner in about 30 days and teased plans to take it easier on the media than he originally intended.
Technically, the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) puts on the dinner to raise money for scholarships. Trump had been in contact with WHCA President Weijia Jiang.
The president also made it clear that he was not keen on leaving the Washington Hilton because he did not want to let the sickos win.
“I fought like hell to stay,” Trump told reporters afterward. His security team had rushed him out.
“But they, it was protocol. They said, ‘Please, sir,’ because they didn’t know … there was a lot of action going on, and they didn’t know.”
