Follow Us on Google
United States investigators have said the gunman who opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was targeting senior members of President Donald Trump’s administration.
Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche disclosed on Sunday that early findings suggest the suspect intended to attack top government officials attending the high-profile event in Washington.
“We do believe, based upon just a very preliminary start to understanding what happened, that he was targeting members of the administration,” Blanche said during an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation.
The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, allegedly attempted to force his way through a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night while armed with a shotgun, a handgun and several knives.
Other News
Secret Service agents intercepted him after an exchange of gunfire. One officer was struck at close range, but survived because the bullet hit his protective vest.
Blanche said Allen was not cooperating with investigators and is expected to be formally charged in federal court on Monday. Authorities believe he travelled by train from Los Angeles to Washington and had acquired the weapons over the past few years.
The attack threw the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner into chaos, forcing President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, cabinet members and hundreds of guests to be swiftly evacuated.
