Authorities Release Video of Gunman in White House Correspondents’ Dinner Attack
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- The FBI and prosecutors released over five minutes of edited and annotated surveillance footage showing Cole Tomas Allen, charged with attempting to assassinate President Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, leading up to the moment shots were fired.
- The video, shared by FBI and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, clarified that Allen fired the shots that struck a Secret Service officer, who was protected by a bulletproof vest, dispelling earlier uncertainty about whether friendly fire was involved.
- President Trump also shared footage showing the assailant passing through a magnetometer before being subdued by law enforcement at the top of a staircase near the event, where officials recovered multiple weapons including a shotgun, handgun, and knives.
- Prior to the video release, officials had not definitively confirmed whose gunfire hit the officer, and initial charges against Allen did not include shooting a federal officer, though prosecutors later stated Allen fired his shotgun toward the ballroom stairs.
