A suspect arrested in connection with the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C., will be arraigned in court on Monday, federal prosecutors have announced.
The incident occurred on Saturday during the annual media gala at the Washington Hilton, where gunfire near a security checkpoint triggered panic and forced the evacuation of senior officials, journalists, and guests attending the high-profile event.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, confirmed that the suspect — identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California — will appear before a federal district judge.
Pirro said Allen is expected to face charges including using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, with additional counts anticipated as investigations continue.
Authorities said Allen exchanged gunfire with Secret Service agents but was not shot during the confrontation. A Secret Service officer was struck by a bullet but survived after it hit a protective vest.
Trump, who was swiftly evacuated from the venue, later addressed the incident at a White House briefing, insisting it would not affect U.S. military operations abroad.
“It’s not going to deter me from winning the war in Iran,” he said, adding that he did not believe the attack was linked to the conflict, though he acknowledged that investigators were still examining the motive.
He described Allen as a “lone wolf.”
In a related development, Trump confirmed he had cancelled a planned trip by U.S. envoys to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran, citing dissatisfaction with Tehran’s negotiating stance.
Investigations into the motive behind the shooting remain ongoing.