Images have surfaced for the first time of the shotgun allegedly used by Cole Tomas Allen during the assault on the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
The weapon was pictured on the patterned carpet of the Washington Hilton, the same location where the 31-year-old suspect was photographed face-down and topless following his arrest by security personnel on Saturday night.
Authorities state that Allen was brandishing the shotgun when he attempted to sprint past security checkpoints to reach the main ballroom. In addition to the shotgun, officials confirmed the suspect was armed with a handgun and multiple knives, with the alleged intent of targeting President Donald Trump and senior members of his administration.
New images released following the incident show a apprehended Allen wrapped in a mylar blanket, leaning against a marble column inside the hotel.
“We have secured a room here in the hotel, and again, we’ll go through the appropriate procedures to determine what was inside there,” stated DC Metro Police Chief Jeffery W. Carroll.
Investigators believe Allen had been staying as a guest at the hotel prior to the attack.
President Trump has since characterized the suspect as a “lone wolf whack job” from California. Allen’s professional background, which includes work as a mechanical engineer, an independent game developer, and a recently honored “Teacher of the Month” at a national tutoring service, is currently being scrutinized as federal agents work to establish a clear motive for the violent disruption.