Trump safe after White House-area shooting

President Donald Trump was evacuated unharmed from the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington on April 25 after an armed man charged a security checkpoint and exchanged gunfire with law enforcement. Federal and local officials said a Secret Service officer was struck in the vest and survived, and the suspect was taken into custody at the scene. The shooting prompted a wave of reactions online on May 22 and May 23, including posts from House Republicans and other accounts saying Trump was safe and praising the Secret Service response. The underlying incident, however, took place nearly a month earlier at the annual journalists’ dinner, not at the White House itself. ### Which shooting were people reacting to? April 25 is the date of the shooting that triggered the online posts. NBC News reported that an armed man rushed a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, where Trump and senior administration officials were attending the annual event, and exchanged gunfire with law enforcement. The Washington Hilton, not the White House complex, was the site of the incident. Politico reported that Trump was removed from the ballroom as Cabinet members ducked under tables and the event was canceled. ### Was Trump injured? Trump was not injured. Politico reported that Trump said later that night he had spoken with the Secret Service officer who was shot and hit in the vest and that the officer was “doing great.” (nbcnews.com) No other injuries were immediately reported beyond the officer, according to NBC News. (politico.com) Trump and top members of his Cabinet and Congress were evacuated from the ballroom after the shooting began. ### What did investigators say happened? Jeffery Carroll, the interim chief of the Washington police department, said the suspect had “a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives” and had “charged the checkpoint with a firearm in his hand,” according to Politico. (politico.com) Carroll described the suspect as a lone gunman with no apparent accomplices. (nbcnews.com) Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, said the suspect “was intent on doing as much harm and as much damage as he could,” Politico reported. She said the investigation was continuing and did not rule out additional charges. ### Who was identified as the suspect? Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was identified by a federal official familiar with the case, NBC News reported. (politico.com) NBC said Allen made an initial court appearance on Monday and faced three charges, including attempting to assassinate the president. NBC reported that investigators said writings sent to Allen’s family before the shooting indicated his targets were Trump administration officials rather than hotel guests or staff. ### Why did posts about it circulate again on May 22? May 22 social posts cited in the briefing did not announce a new shooting. (nbcnews.com) They reflected renewed online discussion about the April 25 attack and repeated the basic fact that Trump had been safe after the evacuation. The available reporting tied the core facts to the April 25 Washington Hilton shooting. Reuters imagery cited by NBC showed Trump being escorted after the shooting at the correspondents’ dinner, and Politico and NBC both dated the incident to that night. (nbcnews.com) ### What comes next in the case? Monday was the next immediate milestone after the shooting. NBC News reported that Allen was scheduled for court proceedings after his initial appearance, while Pirro said investigators were still assessing whether further charges, including possible terrorism-related counts, could follow. (nbcnews.com)