President Donald Trump on Saturday evening reportedly escaped assassination attempt
during Whitehouse Correspondents Assn Dinner.
It was gathered that President Trump was evacuated from the hall after gunshots were fired, and a person was taken into custody.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was identified by federal law enforcement sources as the alleged gunman.
Speaking during a news conference shortly after President Trump was whisked out of the dinner hall, he described the moment authorities arrested the alleged gunman.
“The First Lady on my right, and I heard a noise, and sort of thought it was a tray,. I thought it was a tray going down many times, and it was pretty loud noise, and it was from quite far away.
“It was a gun, and some people really understood that pretty quickly.
“I was watching to see what was happening, but we should have gotten down even faster.”
“Melania was very cognizant, I think, of what happened. I think she knew immediately what happened.”
The president said the person hadn’t gone into the dinner area because security “really got him.”
The president said investigators “think he is a lone wolf.”
He said one officer was shot before authorities stopped the gunman “from very close distance, with a very powerful gun, and the vest did the job.”
“I just spoke to the officer, and he’s doing great.
“He has very high spirits, and we told him we love him and respect him.
After thanking the officer Trump, pivoted the conversation to the ballroom, saying the planned “East Wing,” would be “much more secure, it’s got drone proof and it’s bullet proof.”
Interim Chief of Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department Jeffery Carroll said the person was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives and “was a lone actor.” He was taken down and was not shot.
The U.S. Secret Service issued a brief statement on social media confirming “a shooting incident near the main magnetometer screening area at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.”
Los Angeles Times
