FULL: President Trump and other officials speak after White House Correspondents Dinner shooting

WASHINGTON (TNND) — Authorities have identified the suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner as a 31-year-old man from Southern California. Law enforcement officials say Cole Thomas Allen, of Torrance, California, was taken into custody after allegedly opening fire Saturday night at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the annual event was being held. WHAT HAPPENED Witnesses reported hearing five to eight shots as panic spread through the ballroom. Several Secret Service agents were heard shouting, “Shots fired." At approximately 8:36 p.m., the suspect, working alone, armed with a shotgun, handgun, and multiple knives, charged into the hotel lobby area and attempted to breach a Secret Service checkpoint, according to law enforcement. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were safely evacuated from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner after the suspect rushed the Secret Service checkpoint inside the Washington Hilton, officials said. Read more here: https://abcnews4.com/news/nation-worl... ____________________ ABC News 4 (WCIV-TV) covers local news, weather, sports and more in the Charleston, South Carolina metro area and surrounding communities. Website - https://abcnews4.com Facebook -   / abcnews4   Twitter -   / abcnews4   Instagram -   / abcnews4   Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/abcnews4.com Download our iOS Apps: News - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/abc-new... Weather - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/abc-new... Download our Android Apps: News - https://play.google.com/store/apps/de... Weather - https://play.google.com/store/apps/de... Submit news tips: [email protected] Submit photo/video: https://abcnews4.com/chimein