A gunman carrying multiple weapons attempted to break into the dinner that President Trump was attending. Police have taken a suspect into custody.
An armed man exchanged gunfire with law enforcement after he rushed a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, authorities said, an event attended by President Donald Trump and high-ranking members of his administration.
Very little was clear about what had happened at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night. But the president wanted to talk about it.
Members of Congress and other political figures who were present at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night were left deeply unsettled by a shooting that took place outside the event.The big picture: "It's a horrible, horrible moment for our country to see somebody want to attack or disrupt the event," Rep. Brian Jack (R-Ga.) told Axios while exiting the dinner, which was postponed due to the incident.Rep. Nanette Barragan (D-Calif.), who was seated near the rostrum when President Trump and other top officials were evacuated, told Axios "it's insane … that this is happening at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Security is supposed to be top notch."Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) told Axios in a text message that he was pulled into a secure room by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), adding: "As a member who lives in Parkland and went to Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS I am glad everyone is okay.""It's shocking," former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) told Axios as he was leaving the event.Driving the news: Trump was hastily evacuated from the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night after a gunman armed with multiple weapons tried to breach security and was shot by Secret Service, federal law enforcement officials tell Axios.A suspect fired at Secret Service personnel at the event at the Washington Hilton hotel and is now in custody, a law enforcement source tells Axios. Trump praised law enforcement's swift response at a press briefing at the White House Saturday evening and insisted that the event be rescheduled within the next 30 days. Members described confusion in the initial aftermath of the incident."I saw them immediately evacuate Secretary [Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.] and I took video of that when it was happening because I thought maybe something was happening to him," Barragan told Axios."I'm just letting it all soak in," said Rep. Michael Rulli (R-Ohio) as he was leaving the hotel.Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), in a text to Axios, blamed Democrats for the incident.The bottom line: Jack said he thinks "somebody should look into the security protocols that were adopted here.""Hopefully when we do come back within 30 days, it's a much more safe and much more secure event that enables all of us to celebrate this night," he added.
The suspect was identified to CBS News by law enforcement sources as 31-year-old Cole Allen of Torrance, California.
A heavily armed man rushed a Secret Service checkpoint outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night, exchanging gunfire with law enforcement before being subdued, officials said.
President Trump and several cabinet members were safely rushed from the event in Washington, D.C. after several loud sounds were heard. The Secret Service said one person was in custody.
Allen, a teacher from Torrance, Calif., was identified by sources as the suspect accused of rushing a security checkpoint armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives before he was subdued.
Cole Allen, 31, allegedly checked into the Hilton Hotel hosting the White House Correspondents Dinner the day before the shooting, sources say.
After what may be another attempt on President Donald Trump’s life, masked cowards waited outside the scene of the White House Correspondents Dinner shooting with signs calling for “all tyrants” to die. You know who the real tyrants are? The ones who murder their political opponents. The ones who keep trying to kill the leader […]