‘NFL should sign him up’: Trump comments on shooter’s speed after White House media dinner attack

US President Donald Trump said that he was shocked at how fast the shooter was when he stormed the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The man was seen dashing past the security on the CCTV footage. Trump said that he looked like a “blur” on the video. This comes after a gunman opened fire at the Washington Hilton hotel, where hundreds had gathered for the black-tie event. Trump was rushed off the stage and evacuated from the ballroom as chaos unfolded at the venue.

“I think the NFL should sign him up,” Trump told CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell while speaking on ‘60 Minutes’ on Sunday (Apr 26). “He was fast.” Trump was responding to a question by O’Donnell, who asked him how the shooter was able to “get that close”.

Defending the law enforcement and security at the venue in Washington, Trump said, “I say it because I'm a big fan of the people, of law enforcement. And, you know, some of these people, they may be crazy, but they're not stupid and they figure things out. You know, he ran 45 yards they say, and he just went to it, and then boom, he popped through it.”

He added, “I mean, he ran like-- I think the NFL should sign him up. He was fast. When you look at it on tape, it's almost like a blur. But it was amazing 'cause as soon as they saw that you could see them draw their guns. They were so professional. Aimed their guns, and then they took him down immediately.”

Media gala shooting

Armed guards opened fire at the gunman, who charged through a security checkpoint just outside the ballroom where Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, other top officials, and a crowd of hundreds were present for the black-tie gathering. People took cover under the tables as the Secret Service teams swarmed the venue.

Following the incident, Trump described the suspect as a “lone wolf”. “In my opinion, he was a lone wolf,” Trump said of the shooter, describing the man as a “whack job”. He added that the man had been captured and his apartment in California was being searched.

“The man has been captured. They’re going to his apartment. I guess he lives in California, and he’s a sick person, a very sick person, and we don’t want things like this to happen,” Trump said.

Who is the suspect?

The suspect has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, who was apprehended at the scene. Allen seems to have been motivated by conspiracy theories related to Trump and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In his manifesto, he wrote that Trump was a “paedophile” and “rapist” who needed to be killed.