Footage shows White House dinner suspect ‘casing’ hotel before attack, prosecutors say

WASHINGTON, DC: Officials say federal prosecutors released surveillance footage of the suspect in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner security incident walking through a hotel the day before the attack.

US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro posted a nearly six-minute video on social media Thursday that she said showed Allen ‘casing’ the area of the Hilton Hotel the day before the April 25 dinner.

The suspect, identified as Cole Allen, is shown walking through hallways inside the Washington Hilton in advance of the April 25 event, Jeanine Pirro is said to show. Authorities say the footage is part of their case against Allen, who remains in custody on federal charges.

Prosecutors say video shows suspect scouting location

According to prosecutors, the nearly six-minute video includes clips from April 24, the night before the dinner, showing a man walking down a hallway and entering a gym area within the hotel.

In the footage, a man is seen walking down a hallway and going into a gym on the night of April 24.

The footage also shows the night of the dinner and a man walking down the same hallway before charging through the Secret Service magnetometer checkpoint.

A Secret Service member was shot during the incident, but the bullet hit the agent's protective vest, officials said.

Pirro says the footage, which includes video where the playback speed is slowed down, shows Allen "shoot a US Secret Service officer."

"There is no evidence the shooting was the result of friendly fire," she added.

Additional footage from the night of the dinner shows the same individual walking through the hallway again before rushing toward a Secret Service security checkpoint.

Prosecutors allege that Allen then charged through a magnetometer screening area where law enforcement officers were stationed.

Pirro said the video, including slowed-down segments, shows Allen firing a weapon during the confrontation. She also stated that there was no evidence suggesting the shooting was caused by friendly fire.

Defense questions evidence as case moves forward

Allen, 31, is charged with three felony counts of attempted assassination of the President of the United States, transportation of a firearm and ammunition across state lines with the intent to commit a felony, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. He has not pleaded.

Allen shot a Secret Service officer at "point-blank range with a shotgun," Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in an appearance on Fox News on Thursday afternoon.

"All the evidence I have seen, the suspect shot our officer point-blank range with a shotgun. Our officer heroically returned fire while being shot point-blank range in the chest with a shotgun and was able to get all five shots," Curran said.

During his detention hearing on Thursday, Allen conceded to remain detained pending further legal proceedings in his case, his attorney said.

"The defendant attempted to kill the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. The crimes with which the defendant is charged are among the most serious in the United States Code, and the evidence of his guilt is overwhelming," prosecutors wrote.