In the evening of 25 April, during a dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association in Washington, D.C., which was attended by US President Donald Trump, a shooting occurred. An armed man opened fire at a Secret Service checkpoint in the Washington Hilton hotel.
WHAT HAPPENED
According to NBC News, the shooting began at 20:36 local time. A man, armed with several types of weapon, burst into the Secret Service checkpoint in the lobby of the Washington Hilton hotel and opened fire. Law enforcement officers exchanged fire with him.
The attacker was subdued at the scene, wrestled to the ground and handcuffed. Police later confirmed that he had a shotgun, a handgun, and several knives.
As a result of the incident, one Secret Service officer was injured. It is reported that he was wearing a bulletproof vest and has already been discharged from hospital.
HOW EVENTS UNFOLDED IN THE BALLROOM
During the shooting, Donald Trump, his wife Melania Trump, US Vice President JD Vance, and invited guests were in the conference hall where the dinner was taking place. Secret Service officers quickly evacuated the president and ensured his safety, while the other event participants took cover under tables.
Witnesses note that the sound of gunshots was not audible inside the hall itself, but the arrival of armed agents was sudden.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE SUSPECT
The identity of the detained individual has not been officially released, but according to US media reports, he is 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen from Torrance, California. Police believe he acted alone and may have been staying at the hotel.
He has no criminal record and was not previously known to law enforcement. According to a source from CBS News, during questioning he stated that he intended to attack 'members of the administration'.
WHAT CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED
The suspect has been charged with two counts related to the use of a firearm during a crime of violence, as well as a charge of assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. It is expected that he will appear in federal court on 27 April.
'Based on what we know at this point, it is clear that this individual intended to cause as much harm and as much damage as possible,' said the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro.
Furthermore, Pirro did not rule out that the list of charges could be expanded once the investigation is complete.
DONALD TRUMP'S REACTION
After the incident, Donald Trump said on his social media platform Truth that the Secret Service's actions were swift and effective. He noted that he wished to continue the dinner, but law enforcement insisted on cancelling the event for security reasons.
The president also stated that he had spoken with the injured officer, who, according to him, is in good condition.