Narendra Modi on Sunday responded to the shooting incident at a White House event in Washington attended by US President Donald Trump, saying he was relieved that the president, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance were “safe and sound.”
Modi extended his best wishes for their continued safety and well-being and stressed that “violence has no place in democracy and must be unequivocally condemned.”
Modi’s comments came hours after Trump and other senior White House officials were evacuated from a White House correspondent’s dinner following a shooting incident.
What we know about the White House shooting
The accused has been identified as Cole Thomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, according to two law enforcement officials cited by the Associated Press.
There were no immediate reports of injuries, although a law enforcement official said the shooter opened fire during the incident, prompting a quick security response.
The FBI confirmed that the suspect is in custody, and that its Washington field office is leading the investigation into the shooting.
The suspect is tentatively charged with two felonies involving use of a firearm and assault on an officer with a dangerous weapon, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said. She added that additional charges are likely to be filed as authorities gather more information in what she described as a “very volatile situation.”
Pirro also said the suspect is expected to be arraigned in federal district court on Monday as the legal process progresses.
Police said that the suspect was armed with multiple weapons at the time of the incident, which confirms the seriousness of the security breach.
