Man hailed as a hero for standing in front of Trump as soon as shots were fired outside White House Correspondents’ Dinner
A man who stood in front of President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner as gunshots rang out has been hailed as an unsung hero.
In dramatic footage that has since gone viral, the man, whose identity is unknown but is likely a Secret Service agent, was seen reacting with lightning speed.
The man did not duck as the first sounds of gunshots echoed through the underground lobby of the Washington Hilton; instead, he lunged toward Trump, using his own body as a human shield to protect the Commander in Chief from possible fire.
A grainy but powerful shot in the footage shows the man jumping in the air and protecting the President as he is carried towards the backstage exit.
The suspect, identified by authorities as Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, reportedly attacked a security checkpoint armed with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives.
Allen was captured by agents after a brief but terrifying gunfight in the hotel lobby.
During the confrontation, a Secret Service officer was shot at close range. In what many call a miracle, the bullet was stopped by his ballistic vest.
President Trump later praised the officer’s bravery, saying from the White House: ‘He was shot with a very powerful weapon at very close range and the vest did its job.
‘I just spoke to the officer and he’s doing very well.’
The man did not duck as the first sounds of gunshots echoed through the underground lobby of the Washington Hilton; instead, he lunged towards President Trump, using his own body as a human shield to protect the Commander in Chief from possible fire.
In the footage, guests in tuxedos and evening dresses can be seen huddled under tables while the Secret Service patrols the ballroom floor.
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner – Washington’s most lavish “geek ball” – descended into blood-curdling chaos last night
The ballroom, packed with the nation’s top journalists, Hollywood celebrities and Cabinet members including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was the scene of complete mayhem.
In the footage, guests in tuxedos and evening dresses can be seen huddled under tables while the Secret Service patrols the ballroom floor.
The incident occurred at the hotel where President Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981; This was an eerie historical parallel that did not go unnoticed by those in attendance.
Just like Secret Service Agent Tim McCarthy, who shot Reagan 45 years ago, last night’s ‘hero agent’ is being celebrated on social media for his ‘extraordinary courage’.
Still wearing his tuxedo, Trump addressed the nation just two hours later. ‘When you are effective, they come after you,’ he said defiantly. ‘They think he’s a lone wolf. ‘We won’t let anyone take over our society.’
The White House confirmed the dinner would be rescheduled in 30 days and promised a ‘bigger and better’ event.
But for now, Washington remains on high alert as it grapples with a new attempt on the President’s life.
The family of the suspect who raided the White House Correspondents’ Dinner revealed his past radical statements and plans to ‘fix’ the world after his manifesto was revealed.
Grainy but powerful shot from the footage showing the man jumping in the air and protecting the President as he is carried towards the backstage exit
Patel did not hide under the table like the others, but stood upright while telling those at his table to stay on the floor.
Allen, 31, A teacher from Torrance, CaliforniaHe was seen trying to escape a security checkpoint on Saturday night, armed with a shotgun, a pistol and several knives.
He exchanged gunfire with Secret Service agents before pinning him to the ground and arresting him. An agent’s bulletproof vest was shot and is expected to recover. No one else was harmed.
Authorities have now discovered that Allen wrote a chilling manifesto before arriving at the Washington Hilton Hotel, where the dinner was held.
Allen’s family members told law enforcement that Allen had sent some of his disturbing writings to them before the attack, prompting his brother to alert police. The articles did not specifically mention Saturday’s dinner. CBS News reported.
A White House official confirmed that Allen’s brother reported the manifesto to the New London Police Department in Connecticut minutes before the attack. CNN.
Trump said in an interview on Fox News that he had heard about the report and wished the department had notified federal authorities sooner.
The US Secret Service and Montgomery County Police also spoke with the suspect’s sister in Rockville, Maryland, a White House official told CNN.
