Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said in an interview with NBC News that the attacker stopped on Saturday during the annual White House Correspondents' Gala probably intended to kill members of Donald Trump's administration and the president himself.
— It appears that he actually targeted people working in the administration, including probably the president, said Blanche in an interview quoted, among others, by AP and Reuters agencies and the Washington Post daily. He added that the suspect likely traveled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago and then to Washington.
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The Los Angeles Times reported that the suspect was 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, California. He is registered as an independent voter. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering from CalTech and studied computer science at Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Police determined that Allen had rented a room at the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., where the gala was held. In December 2024, he became “teacher of the month” at a company offering tutoring, consulting services and preparation for college exams, the Los Angeles Times found.
Foreign leaders support Donald Trump
The leaders of many European countries, including France, Italy, Great Britain, as well as the authorities of the European Union, India, Canada and Israel, expressed solidarity with US President Donald Trump on Sunday upon learning of the shooting that took place during the correspondents' gala in Washington with his participation.
“The armed attack that targeted the President of the United States is unacceptable. There is no place for violence in Democracy,” French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized on the X platform, assuring Trump of his “full support.”
