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U.S.<br>Shooting Reported at White House Over Memorial Day Weekend
White House Correspondents' Dinner Shooting Leaves Security Questions Unanswered
A shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton on Saturday has prompted widespread scrutiny of security protocols at the high-profile event. The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, opened fire during the dinner attended by President Donald Trump and several ca...
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White House Correspondents' Dinner Shooting Leaves Security Questions Unanswered<br>A shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton on Saturday has prompted widespread scrutiny of security protocols at the high-profile event. The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, opened fire during the dinner attended by President Donald Trump and several cabinet members before being fatally shot by law enforcement.<br>One law enforcement officer was injured when struck by a bullet, but a bulletproof vest prevented serious harm. No other attendees were wounded. The suspect was apprehended before reaching the main ballroom where approximately 2,300 guests were gathered.<br>According to a manifesto allegedly sent to his family minutes before the attack, Allen criticized what he called an "insane" lack of security at the event. "I walk in with multiple weapons and not a single person there considers the possibility that I could be a threat," the message stated, according to reporting by the New York Post. The manifesto expressed hostility toward Trump and his administration.<br>The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration provided a lower level of security for the dinner than typically used for meetings involving senior officials. The event was not designated as a "national special security event," a designation that would have given the Secret Service complete oversight of all security measures. This decision drew criticism from lawmakers and security experts.<br>Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told NBC's Meet the Press that law enforcement believes the suspect was targeting administration officials, "likely including the president," based on preliminary assessment.<br>Secret Service Director Sean Curran defended the agency's response, stating that security measures successfully stopped the suspect before further harm could occur. "It shows that our multi-layered protection works," Curran said. The White House Correspondents' Association similarly praised law enforcement efforts.<br>However, questions remain about how the suspect obtained access to the hotel with firearms. The Washington Hilton, while it underwent security modifications to accommodate the president, remained open to other guests. Hotels classified as "public accommodations" cannot exclude visitors, and the suspect apparently used his status as a hotel guest to bring weapons inside.<br>Representative Mike Lawler, a Republican congressman who attended the dinner, told Politico that "there needs to be wholesale change" in security protocols. He expressed concern that the suspect could have targeted other events before the dinner, potentially causing mass casualties.<br>Concerned Republican lawmakers have proposed creating a House committee to investigate the shooting and security decisions surrounding the event. The House Oversight and Homeland Security committees, along with the Senate Judiciary Committee, have requested briefings from the Secret Service.<br>This marks the third incident involving gunfire in the vicinity of President Trump within the past month. Trump has already used the incident to justify construction of a new 1,000-seat ballroom inside the White House perimeter, though the project faces legal challenges.
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World<br>Train blast kills at least 24 in Pakistan's Balochistan province
An explosion on a train in Pakistan's Balochistan province killed at least 24 people. According to officials, the train was transporting military personnel home for the Eid holiday when armed separatists attacked it.
The blast represents one of the deadlier incidents in Balochistan in recent months and occurs amid a broader escalation of violence in the region. Balochistan, Pa...
8:20 AM ET<br>Continue reading ↓
An explosion on a train in Pakistan's Balochistan province killed at least 24 people. According to officials, the train was transporting military personnel home for the Eid holiday when armed separatists attacked it.<br>The blast represents one of the deadlier incidents in Balochistan in recent months and occurs amid a broader escalation of violence in the region. Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province by area, has long been the site of a separatist insurgency. The province borders both Afghanistan and Iran and contains significant...