Witness: How Did the Shooter Assemble Weapons On-Site at the Journalists' Dinner?

On Saturday, April 25, U.S. President Trump attended the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner when gunshots were heard nearby, prompting Trump and others to be protected and urgently evacuated from the Washington Hilton Hotel. Trump has now become the U.S. president with the most assassination threats during his tenure.

In a post on his own social media platform, "Truth Social," Trump stated, "Washington, D.C. experienced an unquiet night. The Secret Service and law enforcement agencies performed excellently—swift and courageous in their actions. The shooter has been arrested," accompanied by surveillance footage revealing the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen from California.

Acting U.S. Attorney General Branche said the motive behind the shooting suspect is still under investigation, but preliminary findings indicate the target was government officials—and likely included the president. The suspect, who will be formally charged tomorrow, may have traveled from Los Angeles to Chicago by train before heading to Washington.

Branche also added that investigators are verifying claims that the suspect assembled weapons inside the hotel, further noting that the suspect "didn't get far" and "barely breached the security perimeter."

The Suspect Assembled Weapons Inside the Hotel

A witness revealed that the suspect assembled a "long firearm" in a poorly monitored area near the terrace-level entrance, then opened fire and attempted to rush into the banquet hall.

The "New York Post" reported that the female witness, Helen Mabus, a volunteer event organizer from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, described this area as having a temporary space labeled "Z" where food and beverage carts were temporarily stored—unsecured and lacking any security personnel at the time.

Mabus said she saw the suspect "in that space… taking out (the weapon) from something like a bag," and added that the weapon was "very long" and "did not look like a regular firearm." This part of the suspect's actions went unnoticed by security staff; he then suddenly moved toward the banquet hall, "after assembling it… he ran toward the stairs, preparing to go downstairs into the ballroom."

Immediately afterward, the shooter began firing in multiple directions. Guests and staff fled in panic. Witness Mabus said, "He seemed to be shooting randomly," estimating she heard "at least 10 gunshots."

The volunteer pointed out that the sudden gunfire triggered widespread panic, with constant screams and frantic running. The Secret Service and other armed law enforcement officers quickly rushed to the scene.

Mabus said she fled in the opposite direction and did not see the suspect being apprehended. She added that the chaos unfolded right near the corridor leading to the banquet hall, which was filled with hundreds of VIPs at the time.

An Unexpected Consequence of the Journalists' Dinner Shooting Incident

That consequence was Trump’s renewed call to accelerate the construction of the large-scale banquet hall currently underway at the White House. On Sunday, he posted on Truth Social, stating that if a large, secure banquet hall had existed within the White House, the shooting incident on Saturday night "would never have happened." This 90,000-square-foot (approximately 8,400 square meters) hall, being built atop the original East Wing, is crucial for hosting major state events.

Trump sought to explain the controversial ongoing White House banquet hall project. "It's not only aesthetically pleasing, but equipped with all the highest-level security features. More importantly, it has no upper-floor rooms, preventing unauthorized individuals from freely entering without inspection. It sits within the world’s most secure building—the White House—right at its main entrance."

Meanwhile, organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation and other heritage conservation groups accused the project of proceeding "without prior approval" and claimed the president lacks authority to dismantle historic structures of the White House.

On March 31, Federal District Judge Richard Leon in Washington, D.C., issued a temporary halt to the construction project, citing concerns that it might lack congressional authorization and thus overstepped governmental authority.

By mid-April, Judge Leon extended the suspension, allowing only limited underground safety infrastructure to proceed, rejecting the government’s argument that the entire banquet hall should be considered a security exception.

After the Trump administration appealed, the federal appellate court ruled that the project could "temporarily continue" during litigation—a partial victory for the Trump administration.

At a press conference following the shooting incident on Saturday night, Trump once again pushed hard for the construction project. He said, "This is why we must build every feature we planned within the White House… It's actually larger and safer. It can defend against drones and features bulletproof glass. We need this banquet hall. That’s why both the Secret Service and the military have requested it."

John Harris, founding editor and international editor of the political news outlet Politico, wrote in his column: "The Washington Hilton is vast, and its banquet hall is expansive—historically difficult to maintain security for high-profile guests. Former President Reagan was attacked outside the hotel in March 1981."

Harris wrote: "The White House Correspondents' Dinner combines journalism, celebrity culture, and a relaxed format. But in today’s era of anger and political passion, it now seems outdated—this weekend’s event felt surreal."

Source: rfi

White House Dinner Shooting Incident

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863581057892619/

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