U.S. authorities believe a gunman attempted to target President Donald Trump and members of his administration during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday evening, according to reports from aljazeera.com.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that investigators believe the suspect traveled from Torrance, California, to Washington, D.C., via a train route through Chicago.
Shots were fired near the ballroom where the dinner was being held as Secret Service agents moved to subdue the suspect. The event was attended by Trump, top government officials, and hundreds of journalists, the outlet reported.
While investigators have not officially named the suspect, multiple U.S. media outlets identified him as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen.
Trump told Fox News that the suspect's family had previously raised concerns about him to local police. The president also claimed the man had authored an anti-Christian declaration.
“The guy is a sick guy,” Trump told Fox News. “When you read his manifesto, he hates Christians.”
Investigation into motives and weapons
Law enforcement officials examining the suspect's electronic devices and writings believe the gunman intended to target administration members in attendance.
“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told the NBC TV network.
Blanche noted that the suspect is believed to have purchased the two firearms he carried on Saturday within the last two years. The suspect is currently not cooperating with law enforcement and faces multiple charges, according to the attorney general.
Video released by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents intercepted him. One officer in a bullet-resistant vest sustained a gunshot wound but is recovering, officials said.
Police stated the gunman was taken into custody without injury and was transported to a hospital for evaluation. Outside the hotel, National Guard members and other authorities arrived as helicopters circled the area.
Social media posts matching the suspect describe him as a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer with degrees in computer science and mechanical engineering.
Trump used the incident to advocate for his $400 million plan to build a large, secure ballroom on the White House grounds, a project that has faced significant legal challenges and public opposition.
“What happened last night is exactly the reason that our great Military, Secret Service, Law Enforcement and, for different reasons, every President for the last 150 years, have been DEMANDING that a large, safe, and secure Ballroom be built ON THE GROUNDS OF THE WHITE HOUSE,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
