The suspected gunman at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner commented about what he saw as lax security measures in copies of his “manifesto” seen by Bloomberg and CBS News, as more details slowly come out about the suspect’s potential motive for trying to forcibly enter the gala on Saturday night.
President Donald Trump holds a press conference at the White House in Washington shortly after a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday. (Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Anadolu via Getty Images
The suspected gunman who tried to enter the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night was identified by multiple outlets as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, citing law enforcement sources.
The suspect allegedly referred to himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin” in writing being reviewed by investigators, the Associated Press reported, while also denouncing the Trump administration’s policies, while he mocked security at the event in writing described as a manifesto seen by other outlets.
The suspect sent writings to his family members shortly before the shooting, the Associated Press reported, citing an unnamed law enforcement official, taking issue with administration policies including the strikes on suspected drug smuggling boats.
The writings said he was only targeting officials and not guests or staff at the hotel where the event was taking place, NBC News reported also citing law enforcement sources, and told his family he did not expect to be forgiven.
Federal investigators reportedly interviewed the suspect’s sister in Maryland, who said the alleged gunman purchased his firearms legally but hid them at their parents’ home in California, who had no knowledge of them.
The suspect’s brother also reportedly contacted police in New London, Connecticut, after receiving the message.
Calling in to Fox News on Sunday morning, Trump said the shooter left behind what he called a “manifesto.” “When you read his manifesto, he hates Christians,” the president told the cable news channel. “That's one thing for sure. He hates Christians, a hatred.” Some details of the suspect’s alleged writings have been obtained by various news outlets, shedding at least some light into his state of mind immediately before the attack. In one note viewed by Bloomberg, the suspect reportedly wrote that he “expected security cameras at every bend, bugged hotel rooms, armed agents every 10 feet, metal detectors out the wazoo,” but was shocked to find the security actually amounted to “nothing.” In the same note, the suspect allegedly wrote that the security was “all outside, focused on protestors and current arrivals, because apparently no one thought about what happens if someone checks in the day before.” In a manifesto seen by CBS News, he made similar comments, claiming there was “no damn security. Not in transport. Not in the hotel. Not in the event."
Earlier on Sunday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the suspected shooter was trying to “assassinate” President Donald Trump, while Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told “Meet the Press” on Sunday that Justice Department investigators believed the suspect was trying to target officials in the administration. Blanche said the suspect traveled from Los Angeles to Chicago, then Chicago to Washington, D.C., by train, and investigators believe he was staying in the same hotel the dinner was taking place at. The acting attorney general said investigators were speaking with witnesses who know the suspect and were looking at “some writings,” but later said, at the present moment, investigators have found no connection to any “policy, directive of President Trump, or Iran, or anything else that we’re doing in this country, but we’re looking into it.” However, Blanche did say the Justice Department believes the suspect “set out to target folks that work in the administration, likely including the president,” but also said he didn’t want to “get ahead” of the ongoing investigation. The acting attorney general said he expected the suspect would be charged tomorrow morning, likely with at least assault of a federal officer and discharging a firearm during that assault.
The annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner was being held at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night, and this year’s gala was going to be the first Trump has attended as a sitting president. However, Trump was quickly evacuated from the dinner after gunshots were heard in the building. The president was uninjured and no one was killed in the shooting, but a suspected gunman was taken into custody after exchanging fire with Secret Service agents following an attempt to rush through a security checkpoint. One Secret Service officer was hospitalized after a bullet struck his bulletproof vest, and was later released. The suspected shooter’s motive remains unclear. Speaking to the press in an abruptly called briefing shortly after the shooting, Trump labeled the suspected shooter a “lone wolf” and claimed “when you’re impactful, they go after you. When you’re not impactful, they leave you alone,” suggesting he believed he was the target of an assassination attempt at the dinner.
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