Shocking footage released by US federal prosecutors shows the moment a suspected gunman ran past security in an alleged bid to assassinate President Donald Trump.
The White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner was thrown into chaos when suspected gunman Cole Tomas Allen stormed the event.
In the footage, 31-year-old Allen can be seen charging through a magnetometer at the Hilton Hotel, pointing his weapon at an agent.
Several agents are then seen pursuing Allen down the corridor, raising their guns towards him.
The footage, released by US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, also shows Allen “casing” the area in the Washington hotel the day before the gala.
Ms Pirro said in a post on X: “Today, we are releasing video already provided to U.S District Court showing Cole Allen shoot a U.S Secret Service offier during his attempt to assassinate the President at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
“There is no evidence the shooting was the result of friendly fire.”
The post adds that the US attorney’s office and the FBI will continue investigations to “bring Cole Allen to justice”.
The President and his deputy were swiftly evacuated by secret service agents upon hearing gunshots.
The officer who was struck in the crossfire was unharmed during the attack as he was wearing a bulletproof vest.
US authorities have said Allen, from Torrance near Los Angeles, was armed with a shotgun, handgun, and multiple lives.
He was not known to authorities prior to the attack and is believed to have been acting alone.
According to a LinkedIn profile verified by Sky news, Allen described himself as a “mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth.”
His online resume says he has worked at C2 Education, a company which aids college students in career progression.
President Trump branded the suspect as a “lone wolf whack job” on his Truth Social platform.
The US president has now been the subject of numerous assasination attempts, two in 2024, after he left the White House in 2021, and during his re-election campaign.
The most serious was at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when he was shot in his upper ear by a 20-year old gunman.
Major security adjustments were made to accomodate the King and Queen when they visited the US administration this week.
Security teams in Britain and the US worked to assess the state visit following the attempt on the US President’s life.
