Obama condemns White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting: ‘Violence has no place in a democracy’

Former President Barack Obama condemned the shooting at a White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Sunday, stressing that violence has no place in a democracy and praising the response of security personnel.Obama posted on“The incident occurred on Sunday during an annual event attended by the US President Donald TrumpFirst Lady Melania Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and other senior officials.On Saturday night, a man armed with a gun and a knife burst into the lobby outside the venue and rushed toward the ballroom, causing chaos with Secret Service agents and guests ducking under tables after hearing gunshots. The shooting occurred outside a large underground banquet hall housing thousands of attendees, disrupting the event just minutes after it started, the Associated Press reported.Trump was uninjured and was removed from the podium. The suspect, a guest at the Washington Hilton, is in custody and is expected to appear in court on Monday, officials said. Police believe he acted alone but have not determined a motive or intended target.“When you have influence, they go after you. When you don’t have influence, they let you go,” Trump later said at the White House, adding that authorities believed the attacker was a “lone wolf.” He also said that while the breach raised questions about security arrangements, he hoped the event could be rescheduled within 30 days.Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, described the incident as a “painful moment” and praised the quick response of the U.S. Secret Service and law enforcement officials.Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Branch said the suspect fired “several shots” before being subdued, adding that he “barely crossed the line.”A Secret Service officer who was wearing a bulletproof vest was shot and is recovering, officials said. The suspect, Cole Thomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was not injured but was taken to a hospital for evaluation. He faces two firearms-related charges, including assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon.