Washington, April 28 (IANS) A rapid response by US Secret Service agents and law enforcement prevented a far more serious attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, top US officials said, crediting coordinated action across agencies for stopping the gunman within moments.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters “that horrible act was stopped because of the courage and professionalism of law enforcement,” adding that agents “promptly tackled and detained the suspect.”
The incident unfolded on April 25 at the Washington Hilton, where the President, Vice President and senior Cabinet officials were attending the annual dinner.
According to investigators, the suspect approached a security checkpoint on the terrace level of the hotel, one floor above the ballroom, at about 8:40 p.m.
A gunshot was heard as he moved through the checkpoint. A Secret Service officer was struck in the chest but survived because he was wearing a ballistic vest.
The officer returned fire. Officials said he fired multiple rounds, and the suspect fell to the ground before being taken into custody.
Blanche said the response followed training and protocol. “Law enforcement did not fail. They did exactly what they’re trained to do,” he said.
FBI Director Kash Patel said agents moved quickly at both the scene and across the country. “We were coordinating a national scale investigation that literally span from coast to coast,” he said.
Patel said the FBI deployed a mobile command centre, evidence response teams and SWAT units. Agents also carried out searches and interviews in multiple states, including California and Connecticut.
Evidence collected at the scene, including firearms and shell casings, was sent to FBI laboratories in Quantico for analysis.
Investigators also entered the suspect’s hotel room and recovered materials relevant to the case. At the same time, agents interviewed witnesses among the nearly 2,000 people attending the event.
Patel praised the actions of the officer who was injured. “They stopped a massive attack from becoming even worse,” he said, adding that law enforcement personnel “safeguarded America.”
Officials said the interagency response included the Secret Service, FBI, Department of Homeland Security and the Metropolitan Police Department, all working in coordination.
Blanche said the investigation is ongoing and warned against relying on unverified reports. “Some of it is true, some of it is not true… and at the right time, you’ll hear information from us,” he said.
Authorities also urged the public to provide any information that could assist the investigation, as they continue to review evidence and reconstruct the sequence of events.
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is a major annual gathering that brings together political leaders, journalists and public figures, requiring extensive security planning.
–IANS
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