A California man accused of storming a gala dinner attended by PresidentDonald Trumpwas to appear in court Monday over a shooting that marked the latest spasm of political violence in deeply divided America.
Administration officials said the suspect in Saturday night’s attack aimed to kill Trump and senior officials at the media dinner in a Washington hotel, in the third attempt on the president’s life in two years.
Trump, who was rushed out of the venue by Secret Service agents, posted camera footage of the gunman sprinting past a checkpoint one floor above the ballroom where the dinner was held.
After a brief exchange of gunfire with agents, the suspect was detained at the scene. No one was killed.
In a CBS interview on Sunday evening, Trump was asked if he feared there would be casualties as Washington’s government and media elite ducked for cover at the black-tie dinner.
“I wasn’t worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world,” Trump said.
Cole Allen, 31, is set to make his first appearance in Washington federal court at about 1:00 pm (1700 GMT).
Proceedings will be brief, with Allen expected to be charged with assault on a federal officer and using a firearm during a crime of violence. Additional charges are likely in future.
The suspect — who was armed with a shotgun, handgun and knives — was staying at the Washington Hilton hotel where the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner was held.
The New York Post said Allen had written in a message shared with his family shortly before the attack that his targets would be “prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest.”
Source: Insider Paper
