US President Donald Trump said Saturday the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner would not deter him from the Iran war, although he believed the incident was unlikely linked 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 in a briefing at the White House after the shocking security incident.
Trump, while speaking in the Press Briefing Room, after the shooting incident, announced that the shooter is 'sick'.
"The law enforcement and DC police just spoke with the mayor... You see the attacker in different positions, but you also see the attacker totally subdued and under control... This is not the first time in the past couple of years that our republic has been attacked by a would-be assassin who sought to kill in Butler, Pennsylvania, less than two years ago... and in Palm Beach, Florida, a few months after that, we came close. We really had, again, some great work done by law enforcement...," he said.
Trump also called the shooting unexpected and said that the shooter had been swiftly neutralised by security forces.
"That was very unexpected, but incredibly acted upon by the Secret Service and law enforcement... A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, and he was taken down by some very brave members of the Secret Service."
Trump, while addressing the press in the briefing room after the incident, said he had also spoken to the security officer who was shot during the attack.
"One officer was shot, but saved... the vest did the job. I just spoke to the officer, and he's doing great," he said.
"They acted very quickly and have just released, for purposes of transparency and clarity, I've ordered it to be put out... a tape showing the violence of this thug who attacked our Constitution, and also showing how quickly the Secret Service and law enforcement acted on our country's behalf," the US President added.
Trump shared a clip from the incident on Truth Social that purportedly shows the individual running through a security checkpoint before being apprehended.
He also shared pictures of the accused apprehended and pinned to the ground by law enforcement officers.
The suspect was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said he has been charged with firearms and assault offences. The FBI confirmed that the suspect is in custody.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said there was no indication of a wider conspiracy. “We have no reason to believe at this time that anyone else was involved,” she said, adding that there was no ongoing threat to the public.
Trump had earlier said, however, that "you never know" if it could be linked to the Iran war, and said investigators were working on the motive of the shooter.
"In my opinion, he was a lone wolf," Trump said, describing the man as a "whack job" and saying he felt there was no reason to believe the attack was connected to the war in Iran.
The US leader earlier Saturday canceled his envoys' trip to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran, after being unimpressed with Tehran's negotiating position following nearly two months of war.
(With inputs from AP)
