On the evening of Saturday, April 25, during the dinner of the White House Correspondents’ Association in the presence of Donald Trump, a man entered the premises and fired several shots. The suspect, a 31-year-old teacher and video game developer, was apprehended.
Around 9 pm, as the dinner was in full swing, five shots rang out behind the reception door, while Donald and Melania Trump had just taken their seats on the stage on the evening of Saturday, April 25. The American president was evacuated and the suspect was apprehended. The man was identified by law enforcement as Cole Thomas Allen, a teacher and developer from Torrance, California.
“This is not the first time in recent years that our Republic has been attacked by a would-be assassin seeking to kill,” said Donald Trump, still in his tuxedo, during a press conference at the White House about two hours after the incident.
**Context:** Shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. Suspect identified as a 31-year-old teacher and video game developer.
**Fact Check:** Please verify the authenticity of the quotes and details provided by Donald Trump.A “lone wolf,” according to Trump
Facing Donald Trump were journalists in bow ties and evening gowns, who like him had attended this annual dinner bringing together the political and media elite in Washington.
The American president told the press that the assailant is a “lone wolf imbalanced” and a “lunatic.” Shortly after the shots, President Donald Trump released a photo of the shooter, half-naked, lying face down, handcuffed behind his back and surrounded by federal agents.
Quickly, details about the attacker’s identity were disseminated by the American media. The suspect was identified as Cole Thomas Allen, 31 years old, originally from Torrance, California. American media CNN consulted his Linkedin profile, which was no longer accessible on Sunday morning. The thirty-year-old is reported to be a video game developer, engineer, and teacher.
Authorities stated that he had no criminal record and was not known to the police before the shootings.
The shooter will appear in court on Monday
The police reported that the suspect was armed with a shotgun, a pistol, and several knives when he was apprehended.
The thirty-year-old will appear in court on Monday, announced American authorities at a press conference. He will face two charges: the first for using a firearm in a violent crime and the second for assaulting a federal agent with a dangerous weapon, as stated by the prosecutor of the American capital, Jeanine Pirro.
The Washington police reported that, according to preliminary information, the suspect had reserved a room at the Hilton Washington Hotel where the gala dinner was taking place.
