Chilling surveillance footage has captured the moment gun-wielding shooter Cole Tomas Allen stormed past security at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. The 31-year-old teacher from Torrance, California, was seen wearing all black as he sprinted inside the Washington Hilton hotel on Saturday evening with a gun in hand, according to video posted by President Donald Trump on Truth Social.
Security Breach
Just moments before he ran, security guards were seen standing in the hallway, but as soon as he sped by, they reacted and pulled out their firearms. The clip ended with several armed guards rushing toward Allen before he exchanged gunfire with authorities. Allen was then tackled to the ground and arrested.
Chaos at the Dinner
The dinner was barely underway when the Secret Service was forced to leap into action after a series of shots rang out. The suspect is being charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. He is expected to be arraigned in federal court on Monday.
If convicted, Allen could face 20 years in jail for the assault, while the weapons charges come with a minimum of ten years, with a possibility of life behind bars.
Evacuations and Reactions
Along with the footage, other images showed chaos quickly unfolding, with one image showing House Speaker Mike Johnson being rushed out of the venue by Secret Service members. Another image showed Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife Cheryl Hines ducking as they ran to safety. Right behind them was Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller and his wife Katie Miller.
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