Washington DC: US President Donald Trump on Sunday described the suspect involved in the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting as driven by "strongly anti-Christian" motives, citing early assessments and the individual's alleged manifesto.
"He had a lot of hatred in his heart for quite a while, and he just, I don't know. He just, it was a religious thing. It was strongly anti, anti-Christian," Trump told Fox News, pointing to what he described as deep-seated hostility towards Christians.
Suspect writings under review: Investigators are examining a message allegedly sent by the suspect before the attack. The White House said the writings “clearly stated” an intent to target administration officials.
How the incident unfolded: Gunfire erupted outside the ballroom at the Washington Hilton while President Donald Trump and senior officials were attending a press gala. They were rushed to safety.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the suspect “got off a few shots” before being subdued by law enforcement near a staircase leading to the ballroom.
Arraignment set: Authorities identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old teacher from California.
He is expected to appear in court Monday, according to the US attorney for the District of Columbia.
'Very troubled guy'
The President further added: "The guy is a sick guy, when you read his manifesto. He hates Christians, that's one thing for sure... and I think his sister or his brother actually was complaining about it. They were even complaining to law enforcement. He was a very troubled guy."
The remarks come after a shooting incident disrupted the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington DC, attended by top political leaders, journalists and officials.
Authorities confirmed that President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance were safely evacuated, while a security officer sustained injuries during the response.
Weijia Jiang, President of the White House Correspondents' Association, termed the incident a "harrowing moment" and praised the swift action by the United States Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies.
"We express our deepest gratitude... Their actions protected thousands of guests," she said, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured officer.
US Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said preliminary findings suggest the suspect may have been targeting members of the Trump administration, though the exact motive remains under investigation.
Suspect identified
The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, was taken into custody after allegedly breaching a security checkpoint and firing shots before being subdued.
Meanwhile, Trump also renewed his criticism of NATO, expressing disappointment over what he described as a lack of support.
"We spend trillions of dollars on NATO... They can't do it without us," he said.
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