Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that investigators believe the gunman who tried to storm the ballroom at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner was targeting Donald Trump and his administration officials.“It actually seemed like he was targeting people who worked in the administration, including probably the president,” Blanche told Meet the Press.
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Law enforcement officials who examined the suspect’s electronic devices and writings initially believed he intended to target members of the administration who attended the dinner.He tried to storm the hall, but was thrown to the ground in a chaotic scene that led to gunshots being fired, President Donald Trump leaving the stage, and guests hiding under the tables.Blanche said officials believe the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then to Washington, where he checked in as a guest at the hotel hosting the high-profile event Saturday evening.Investigators have not publicly named the suspect, but two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter identified him to The Associated Press as Cole Thomas Allen, 31, of Torrance. Police also visited Allen’s home in California.
Blanche said the suspect is believed to have purchased the firearms he was carrying within the past two years. He added that the suspect is “not cooperating effectively” with the investigation and is expected to face several charges on Monday.“At this point it appears to be a lone actor, a lone gunman,” Metropolitan Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll said.