The man accused of attempting to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration, acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Sunday. “We’re still investigating a motive, and that’s something that will necessarily take a couple of days at least. We believe he was targeting administration officials in this attack, attempted attack, but that’s again, quite preliminary,” Blanche told NBC News’ Meet the Press.
Those officials “likely” include President Donald Trump, Blanche added, “but I want to wait and not get ahead of us on that.”
According to The Associated Press, investigators who reviewed the suspect’s writings and electronic devices believe he intended to target administration members attending the event. The suspect allegedly attempted to rush into the ballroom at the Washington Hilton before being tackled by security, triggering a chaotic scene in which shots were fired and guests took cover.
Blanche said the suspect had travelled across the country by train, moving from California to Chicago and then to Washington, where he checked into the hotel hosting the event.
He also said investigators were examining reports that the suspect may have assembled a weapon inside the hotel but added that he “didn’t get very far”.
“He barely broke the perimeter. And by barely, I mean by a few feet.”
Blanche said the suspect is not cooperating with investigators and is expected to face multiple federal charges.
“He will be charged in federal court tomorrow with assault of a federal officer, discharging a firearm and attempting to kill a federal officer,” Blanche said, adding that he did not know of any link between the attack and Iran.
Two law enforcement officials identified the suspect to AP as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California.
Authorities said the incident unfolded shortly after the event began, prompting a swift response from the Secret Service and other agencies. The man fired a shotgun at a Secret Service agent at a security checkpoint in the Washington Hilton hotel before being tackled and arrested.
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