The suspect accused of opening fire at a Washington media gala attended by President Donald Trump on Saturday is set to be arraigned in the U.S. capital on Monday, federal prosecutors have confirmed.

The suspect — who exchanged gunfire with Secret Service agents but was not wounded — will appear before a U.S. District Court judge. According to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the charges will include using a firearm during a crime of violence and assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.

Speaking after the incident, Trump said it would not deter him from pursuing the war effort in Iran, adding that he does not believe the attack is connected to the conflict.

“It’s not going to deter me from winning the war in Iran. I don’t know if that had anything to do with it — I really don’t think so, based on what we know,” Trump told reporters during a White House briefing following the security breach.

However, the president earlier acknowledged that “you never know” and said investigators are still working to determine the shooter’s motive. He described the suspect as a “lone wolf.”

Earlier on Saturday, Trump also cancelled a planned trip by his envoys to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran, citing dissatisfaction with Tehran’s negotiating position after nearly two months of conflict.

How did the shooting unfold?

A “sole gunman” rushed through a security checkpoint in the hotel lobby just outside the ballroom where the dinner was taking place around 8:36 pm (0036 GMT), according to authorities.

Trump shared footage on his Truth Social platform which appeared to show the suspect charging at the checkpoint before being swarmed by officers.

“He was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives,” Metropolitan Police Department interim chief Jeffery Carroll told reporters.

Law enforcement exchanged gunfire with the suspect and “intercepted that individual.”

A uniformed Secret Service officer was “struck in his vest” and taken to hospital, but was doing well, Carroll said.

The suspect was not hit by gunfire, but was taken to a hospital to be evaluated.

A long gun and shell casings were found on the scene, FBI Director Kash Patel said, adding that the agency was carrying out witness interviews as part of its probe.
Trump shared photos of the suspected shooter, shirtless and in handcuffs facedown on a carpeted floor, in what appears to be the Hilton lobby.

Authorities are yet to publicly confirm his identity, but US media reported that the suspect was a 31-year-old named Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, California.

Based on preliminary information, “we do believe he was a guest here at the hotel,” Carroll told reporters.

The detained man is believed to be the only suspect in the case, officials said.

Questions swirled regarding the security at the reception and how a gun was brought into the hotel.

Attendees pointed out that there was a magnetometer placed outside the ballroom, but there was no such screening before that or at the entrance to the hotel itself.

Trump initially said it was “not a particularly secure building,” but later said the ballroom where the event was being held was not breached by the gunman and was “very, very secure.”

The Guardian