Following the gunman’s arrest at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, FBI Director Kash Patel urged the public to share “any information related to this event.”
The FBI is reviewing ballistics and a long-barreled weapon from the crime scene and interviewing witnesses, Patel said.
“There is no information too small, no information too inadequate,” he said. “We will evaluate everything. We will also conduct interviews with those who were there, and if any of these individuals have information, please contact law enforcement – the FBI, the Metropolitan Police Department, the management.
He added that investigators would look “in-depth“ into the suspect's background.
Witness says gunman was outside checkpoint when shooting happened
The man suspected of opening fire at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night will likely be charged soon, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said.
“The charges should be obvious, given the behavior. But as you're going to hear, there will be multiple charges surrounding the shooting, the possession of firearms and anything else we can find against this individual,“ Blanche said.
The investigation is ongoing, he added.
“You saw the worst and the best of this country tonight,“ Blanche said. “You saw the worst of this cowardly act that the president just talked about. But you also saw the best of it, because you saw law enforcement do exactly what they were supposed to do.“
Erin Tillman, who was at the event, told CNN that she saw a man carrying a loaded rifle over his shoulder fall to the ground after being shot by security.
She said she heard three shots fired at the man, but she didn't see clearly whether the man fired.
Earlier, Trump was quickly escorted to safety at the “Washington Hilton“ hotel, where he was expected to return to the event until law enforcement advises otherwise.
A video clip captures President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to speak with American psychic Oz Perlman moments before the shooting.
In the video, as Perlman speaks to Trump, everyone suddenly reacts to a loud noise; Melania and Perlman can be seen grimacing in shock before security escorts the president out.
In another video, attendees are seated at tables when a loud noise erupts from the back of the room, sending people ducking under tables.
“Security at an event like this is layered. The layers start on the outside. They get thicker as you enter the building,” said John Miller, CNN's chief law enforcement analyst.
The magnetometer officers are on the “front line” of the screening process, but they are part of the crowd, “which means they can't be armed,” he explained. Miller.
This uniformed Secret Service unit wears white shirts, black pants and badges and “looks like regular police.” In addition to them are the plainclothes Secret Service agents who guard the president and are spread throughout the building, he added.
“So we don't know who was involved in the initial confrontation, but there is some possibility that the confrontation started with the uniformed unit of these magnetometers,” Miller said.