The Brief
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- The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, was taken into custody at the scene after being stopped by Secret Service agents.
- Authorities said Allen was heavily armed, carrying a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives at the time of the shooting.
- Investigators believe Allen acted alone, and officials said there is no current indication of additional suspects or an ongoing threat to the public.
WASHINGTON – A suspected gunman believed to be from California opened fire outside the Washington Hilton, where the annual dinner of White House correspondents was being held, prompting a massive law enforcement response and the evacuation of President Donald Trump and other attendees.
Trump was not injured, and other top U.S. leaders were evacuated after what officials described as a security threat.
One law enforcement official said a gunman had opened fire. A law enforcement officer was shot in the bullet-resistant vest but is expected to be OK, one officer told The Associated Press.
Trump and hundreds of guests were gathered. The event was abruptly canceled and is expected to be rescheduled.
ecret Service agents and other law enforcement officers quickly flooded the area as guests took cover under tables. Gasps rippled through the ballroom as the situation unfolded, and journalists scrambled to relay information as it came in.
President Donald Trump shared this image of the suspected gunman. (Credit: @realDonaldTrump)
What we know about the suspected gunman
What we know:
The shooting suspect was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.
President Donald Trump shared an image of the suspected gunman on Truth Social.
Interim D.C. Police Chief Carroll said the shooting suspect is believed to have been a hotel guest, though the intended target remains unknown.
Carroll said the suspect was armed with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives. He said investigators had no reason to believe at this time that anyone else was involved.
Carroll, the police chief, said there “does not appear to be any sort of danger to the public” now and that investigators believe the suspect was working alone.
What we don’t know:
Carroll, the interim police chief, said that he could not say at this point what the shooter’s motivation was, and that it is too soon to know who the suspect had intended to target in the shooting.
What they’re saying:
Trump said the suspect was armed with multiple weapons before being stopped by the Secret Service. One officer was shot, but he was protected by a bulletproof vest.
“He was shot from very close distance with a very powerful gun, and the vest did the job,” Trump said in a late night news conference at the White House.
“My impression is he was a lone wolf, whack job. These are crazy people. He’s a crazy people, and they have to be dealt with,” he added.
