Blanche: Authorities believe suspect was targeting Trump administration officials

Washington — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that investigators believe the armed man who charged a security checkpoint outside the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner was targeting members of President Trump's administration. "We do believe, based upon just a very preliminary start to understanding what happened, that he was targeting members of the administration," Blanche said in an interview with "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." The acting attorney general said investigators are still looking into the suspect's motivation and speaking with people who knew him. He said the alleged gunman is not cooperating with authorities. Law enforcement apprehended 31-year-old Cole Allen of Torrance, California, and said he was armed with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives when he stormed the security checkpoint outside the dinner, where Mr. Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Cabinet officials and scores of journalists were gathered to honor the First Amendment. Police believe he acted alone. The president, first lady Melania Trump and Vance were whisked off the dais by Secret Service in response to the shots that rang out outside the ballroom. They were not injured. Other Cabinet officials in attendance, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., were hustled out of the room by security. …