Alleged White House Correspondents' Dinner shooter set to appear in federal court

Politics Alleged White House Correspondents' Dinner shooter set to appear in federal court April 27, 20265:00 AM ET By Joe Hernandez Secret Service agents responded to a shooting at the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on Saturday evening. President Trump and other administration officials were rushed out, and a suspect was arrested. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Stay up to date with our Politics newsletter, sent weekly. The alleged gunman at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, where President Trump and other top administration officials were gathered, is set to make his first appearance in court today. Cole Allen, 31, is slated to be arraigned in federal court. Police have not formally identified Allen as the suspect, but NPR confirmed his identity with two people familiar with the investigation who aren't authorized to speak publicly. Sponsor Message Politics A chaotic White House Correspondents' Dinner, as told by NPR reporters in the room Allen faces charges including using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, according to U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro. Authorities said Allen charged through a security perimeter at the Washington Hilton, where the annual event was taking place, before being stopped and arrested by law enforcement. One Secret Service agent was shot in his protective vest and not seriously injured. Video from the event shows Secret Service agents surrounding Trump and Vice President Vance and ushering them out of the room after shots rang out. Journalists and other attendees can be seen crouched under tables as federal officers swarmed the ballroom. At a White House press conference shortly after the shooting, Trump said he recognized the dangers of his position as president. "I like not to think about it. I lead a pretty normal life, considering, you know, it's a dangerous life. I think I'm — I think I handle it as well as it can be handled," Trump said. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told NBC's Meet the Press Sunday morning that the suspect is believed to have been targeting administration officials. What happened? Just after the dinner began around 8 p.m. ET, the suspect allegedly attempted to breach a security barrier inside the Washington Hilton near the ballroom where the correspondents' dinner was being held. Sponsor Message Trump on Saturday night posted a video on social media appearing to show a man sprinting through a security checkpoint, with agents then turning and pointing their weapons in his direction. Those inside the nearby ballroom could hear muffled pops. "Tonight we saw exactly what our brave men and women do each and every day to protect our protectees," Secret Service Director Sean Curran said Saturday evening. "And that individual, when he charged a checkpoint, was apprehended. It shows that our multi-layered protection works." The suspect was believed to have acted alone, and two firearms and multiple knives were recovered, the Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement on social media. The Picture Show Photos: The aftermath of the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting Trump said after the shooting that he wanted the dinner to continue, but later said he decided to leave at the request of law enforcement, adding that the organizers told him the event would be rescheduled. Weijia Jiang, a…

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