WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – A man armed with multiple weapons rushed a security checkpoint and opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday night while President Donald Trump was in attendance.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, Calif., is accused of charging past security and firing at a Secret Service agent, hitting the agent’s bulletproof vest before being subdued and taken into custody.
Investigators are reviewing what led up to the shooting at the Washington Hilton. They believe Allen was trying to target Trump administration officials.
The sound of gunshots sent guests diving under tables at the annual event, the first President Trump has attended as commander in chief.
Officers stopped Allen before he could reach the ballroom. Security quickly removed the president and members of his cabinet, leaving attendees scrambling to determine what happened.
“A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons,” Trump said.
Law enforcement officials believe Allen was staying at the hotel as a guest.
After the shooting, the president briefed reporters at the White House.
“It was very quick, there wasn’t a lot of time to be thinking because it was a matter of seconds before we were out the door,” Trump said.
Allen is facing multiple firearm and assault charges and will be arraigned in federal court Monday in Washington.
The rest of the night was canceled and guests were told to evacuate the hotel. Trump and organizers said the celebration of the first amendment will continue.
“We’ll do it again within the next 30 days and we’ll make it bigger and better and even nicer,” Trump said. President Trump has also repeatedly pointed out that he believes having a ballroom at the White House would make these events much safer.
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