Suspected gunman likely targeting Trump and administration officials at White House press dinner, US attorney general says
The suspected gunman who fired shots at a dinner in Washington DC attended by the US President was "targeting" Trump and other administration officials, the US attorney general has said.
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Donald Trump and the First Lady had taken their seats at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner when they were interrupted by the sound of gunfire. The President was bundled off stage as the gunman was appreheneded.
He has now been named as 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen, from Torrance, California.
Police believe he was a guest at the Washington Hilton Hotel where the dinner was being held.
On Saturday afternoon, acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said the motive of the shooter is still under investigation, but that "preliminary" findings suggest he was targeting administration officials, "likely" including the president.
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Mr Blanche also reaffirmed that the gunman's actions will not "deter" President Trump.
"It will not stop him from living. It will not stop him from doing his job."
He went on: "I assure you that the types of things that you saw last night and the president being out there and available to the American public, that will not change because of what this guy tried to do last night."
Mr Blanche also stated what happened wouldn't influence Trump nor the administration to "bunker and hide".
"It's to trust the law enforcement that are, that are keeping us safe. And that's what happened last night, and that's what I think we'll - we will continue to see going forward."
The suspect's writings are being examined as part of the investigation into the attack, according to CBS News.
The materials were found written on paper in the suspect's hotel room, the outlet added.
Allen - who was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives - was taken to hospital following the incident.
The teacher faces charges including assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon - with acting attorney general Todd Blanche saying additional charges will be filed.
Jeanine Pirro, US attorney for Washington, said the suspect will be arraigned before a federal court on Monday.
Footage is also emerging of FBI agents and police officers searching an address believed to be linked to the alleged gunman.
Images and footage shows a heavy police presence in the neighbourhood of Torrance, California.
Trump addressed reporters from the White House shortly after the incident and vowed to reschedule the event within the next 30 days.
The White House Correspondents' Association Dinner is an annual gala, but it's the first time the president has attended after boycotting during his first term.
Saturday's incident at the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Avenue is the same hotel in which Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded in 1981.
Speaking just after the incident, Trump said the suspect "was a sick person, a very sick person."
"He was running full blast, and they got him before he got any further. I was very far away, he wasn’t anywhere close to breaching the doors of the ballroom. My impression is he was a lone wolf wack job.”
Journalist Victoria Churchill, who was at the gala, told LBC that people were "a little bit confused" as the situation initially unfolded.
"I was on the left-hand side pretty much about 80% to the back of the room. And what I heard was 3 or 4 shots in quick succession from behind me. So, you know, these were obviously taken outside the room, but that was kind of what we heard.
"You know, like I said, we had just— the band had come and Weijia [Jiang], the president of the Correspondents Association, she had said a few brief remarks but kind of released everybody to dinner.
"I'd, you know, I'd finished my salad and we were kind of all waiting for the meal to actually be served...We were waiting on our main course and then we just heard that.
"And, you know, I think a couple of people were a little bit confused, you know, they thought maybe somebody crashed into something, like, you know, somebody drops a platter or something like that."
