A White House correspondents’ dinner volunteer said the suspected gunman was able to assemble a “long weapon” inside an unsecured, lightly monitored area near a roof-level entrance near the ballroom before the attack.The witness, Helen Mabus, a volunteer working at the event, described a “temporary room” near the entrance where bar carts were being kept and where “there was no security” at the time.“He was in that room (…) he took it out of a bag or something,” Mabus said, as quoted by the New York Post, adding that the weapon was “long” and “didn’t look like a normal gun”.Mabus said the suspect was partially out of sight as he handled the weapon inside the room before heading toward the main venue. “He put it together and (…) ran up the stairs to go to the ballroom,” she said.The gunman then began firing in multiple directions as guests and staff tried to flee.“It seemed like he was shooting everywhere,” Mabus said, estimating that he heard “at least 10 shots.”He said the firing caused immediate panic, with people screaming and running as armed personnel responded. Mabus said she ran in the opposite direction and did not see the suspect being held.The gunman, identified as Cole Allen of Torrance, California, was arrested after reportedly entering the Washington Hilton hotel and heading toward the ballroom, where President Trump and about 2,500 guests had gathered.Trump described him as potentially a “lone wolf guy” who “looked very bad.”The shooting began near the indoor security screening area after 8.30 pm, when salads were being served to guests. The Secret Service escorted Trump from the room, while members of his Cabinet hid under tables before being escorted out.A law enforcement officer was shot, with the bullet hitting his bulletproof vest. “When he ran into that checkpoint he had a shotgun, a handgun and several knives,” said D.C. Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll.“At this point it appears he is a lone actor, a lone gunman,” Carroll said. “There does not appear to be any risk to the public.”Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, said Saturday that Allen was charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assaulting a federal officer.Dramatic video posted by Trump on social media shows Allen opening fire and running toward the ballroom.A LinkedIn profile matching his name and photo describes him as a teacher at C2 Education, a tutoring and test preparation company. According to social media posts, the company honored him with “Teacher of the Month” in December 2024.
