The suspect arrested after a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner (Cole Thomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California - ed.) is believed to have gotten through the outermost security zone at the event featuring U.S. President Donald Trump because he was a guest at the hotel, officials told The Associated Press.
Security for the annual event is always heightened when the president is in attendance, especially given the venue's history - 45 years ago, the Hilton Hotel in Washington was the scene of an assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. Law enforcement officials say their "layered security" worked as intended. However, the incident is sure to raise more questions about the president's security amid high-profile acts of political violence in recent years.
Here's what we know about the security arrangements for the Correspondents' Dinner.
Acting DC Metropolitan Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll told reporters Saturday night that investigators believe the suspect was staying at the hotel. That appears to be how he gained entry to the Hilton during the event.
The hotel was closed to the general public at 2 p.m. Saturday in anticipation of the dinner, which began at 8 p.m. (03:00 Bulgarian time today). Outside, dozens of protesters gathered in the rain, mostly criticizing the media and event organizers.
Access was limited to hotel guests, people with invitations to the dinner itself, as well as to one of the receptions held at the hotel before or after the dinner, and those with credentials from the White House Correspondents' Association.
All 2,300 guests at the event in the hotel's vast underground ballroom had to go through several additional checks to enter, including showing their invitations to volunteers from the association and hotel staff, and passing through scanners operated by the Secret Service and the Transportation Security Administration.
Security camera footage posted by Trump on social media shortly after the incident showed the gunman running past security guards who appeared to be dismantling metal detectors. After President Trump was seated in the ballroom, other attendees were not allowed to enter the security area, and the metal detectors were removed.
“It shows that our multi-layered security is working,“ said Secret Service Director Sean Curran. His comments were echoed by Carroll, who said that the security plan for the evening was developed by the Secret Service and “that security plan really worked tonight“.
Inside the ballroom for the dinner itself, there were additional security measures. The U.S. Secret Service maintained another perimeter around the president, which included a buffer separating him and others seated at the head table from the rest of the attendees.
Body armor was hidden under the table where Trump was seated. Secret Service agents were stationed in front of and around the stage, along with heavily armed special forces agents ready to respond if threatened. Security measures were taken for the safety of dozens of other high-profile guests in the ballroom.
The hotel itself has a long presidential history, and ordinary people have regularly booked rooms or filled the lobby bar to watch prominent political figures at events that have attracted Washington's elite, such as George Clooney and Kim Kardashian. Although it is known for its correspondents' dinners, the hotel regularly hosts glamorous events in the capital, among which are events involving the US president.
This is the place where John Hinckley Jr. shot Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981. Reagan was walking to his limousine after a speech when Hinckley shot him with a revolver, seriously wounding him. The bomber believed the attack would impress actress Jodie Foster.
After this incident, the hotel underwent extensive renovations to ensure the safety of the president, especially the president of the United States, including a secure garage designed to accommodate the presidential limousine. From there, a special elevator and staircase lead to a secure presidential suite. Everything there is monogrammed with the president, who usually stays at the Hilton for events several times a year.
The Secret Service has long used the annual event to test its agents—the site has been extensively studied by the Secret Service for decades. After the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting, many major hotels have also tightened security, in some cases introducing periodic room inspections.
It is still unclear when the suspect in the correspondents' dinner shooting checked into the hotel or whether such measures would have any relevance in this case.