A Secret Service officer who was shot as a gunman rushed the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night is “in great shape,” President Trump said.
“One officer was shot, but saved by the fact that he was wearing obviously a very good bulletproof vest,” Trump said in a press conference on Saturday night, noting the officer was being treated at a local hospital.
“He was shot from very close distance with a very powerful gun, and the vest did the job. I just spoke to the officer, and he’s doing great. He’s in great shape. He is in very high spirits.”
The officer has since been released from the hospital, according to NBC, citing a source.
Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the ballroom alongside a wave of senior administration officials after suspected gunman, Cole Allen, 31, allegedly stormed a security checkpoint and pushed toward the event armed with two firearms and multiple knives, according to police and sources.
Gunfire erupted roughly 20 minutes after Trump arrived at the annual dinner at the Washington Hilton, which was packed with more than 2,000 guests.
The black-tie crowd — including Washington journalists, cabinet members and White House aides — scrambled for cover as shots rang out, with some diving under tables and others rushing toward exits.
The panic unfolded in seconds, witnesses said, as Secret Service agents converged on the threat inside the hotel lobby area outside the ballroom.
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Trump said the gunman “was fast — he was running full blast” and “charged from 50 yards away.”
The deranged suspect, a teacher and graduate of Caltech from Torrance, Calif., was quickly confronted and taken down before he could reach the main ballroom.
Police believe Allen may have been staying at the hotel, which hosts the high-profile event each year.
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Investigators are working to determine how he was able to approach the security checkpoint while carrying weapons.
DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said the suspect is facing charges including assault on a federal law enforcement officer and two counts of using a firearm to commit violence.
He will be arraigned Monday in federal court, she said, adding that additional charges are likely as the investigation continues.
FBI agents and local police visited an address in Torrance believed to be connected to the alleged gunman.
Aerial footage showed a heavy law enforcement presence surrounding the property as investigators gathered evidence.
Trump praised law enforcement for acting quickly as he revealed what happened on social media.
“Quite an evening in DC, Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we ‘LET THE SHOW GO ON,’ but will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement,” he added.
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