White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday turned chaotic after a shooter open fired while US President Donald Trump was seated with First Lady Melania Trump and other top leaders at the banquet hall of the Washington Hilton Hotel. Donlad Trump shared first photo of the suspect on Truth Social.
Fow News journalist Karol Markowicz in a post on X said that the suspect has been identified as 31 year old Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, California, who was immediately taken into custody.
(Livemint could not independently verify this development and no official statement has been issued on the suspect yet.)
What we know about the shooter at White House Correspondents’ Dinner and shots fired?
Someone in the crowd at the press dinner heard firing of 5 to 8 shots, as per AP report. After the loud sound terrified the attendees, including Trump, law enforcement officials rushed to evacuate the top officials. One official confirmed that there was a shooter, but no further details were provided.
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro shared a short video from the Hilton hotel after the incident and said, “I have been taken out of the ballroom after the sound of the shots fired. The Secret Service is now in charge of this building, this hotel. I just spoke to Mayor Muriel Bowser. She is on her way, and (Police) Chief Jeffery Carroll is on his way. He will be in charge as soon as he gets here.”
