Suspect ‘armed with knives and guns’ charged after shooting at White House correspondents’ dinner - live
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Donald and Melania Trump were evacuated from the White House correspondents’ dinner at the Washington Hilton after gunshots were fired, causing panic among attendees who took cover under tables.
- The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, California, charged a Secret Service checkpoint armed with a shotgun, handgun, and multiple knives before being tackled and taken into custody; he was not shot but is being evaluated in hospital.
- One Secret Service officer was injured but saved by a bulletproof vest; the suspect faces felony firearm and assault charges, and authorities believe he acted alone with no further threat to the public.
- Trump praised the law enforcement response, vowed to reschedule the gala within 30 days, and stated the shooting would not deter him from his political objectives, including the conflict in Iran.
- World leaders condemned the violence as an unacceptable act of political violence, expressing relief that no major harm came to the president, officials, or journalists.
