Performer recalls locking eyes with Trump during White House Correspondents’ dinner shooting
Performer recalls locking: Oz Pearlman, a self-described “mentalist,” has shared his experience of locking eyes with President Donald Trump while seeking cover during a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ dinner. Pearlman was performing mind tricks and interacting with Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt when the attack occurred.
Moments during the attack
Pearlman described how he was guessing the name of the press secretary’s soon-to-be-born baby when he suddenly heard gunshots. He initially thought there might be a bomb because of the way Secret Service agents were moving quickly toward one table. Pearlman said, “It didn’t feel like they were looking for a shooter. It felt like they were looking to stop something from happening.”
He quickly went down to the ground, and the Secret Service agents brought President Trump down as well. Pearlman recalled, “We were about half-a-metre apart… face-to-face looking at each other on the ground, when I’m hearing shots and thinking to myself, ‘We’re about to die.'”
He estimated that he and Trump were looking into each other’s eyes for about two seconds before the agents escorted the president out of the room. Pearlman and two others nearby eventually crawled to safety.
Details about the suspect and aftermath
The suspected gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from California, was arrested at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the event took place. Police reported that Allen exchanged fire with security agents on a floor above the room where Trump and other attendees were gathered.
After his arrest, Allen reportedly told officials he intended to shoot members of the Trump administration. He was charged with attempting to assassinate the president and weapons offenses related to the incident. Allen has not yet entered a plea.
In a separate interview, President Trump said he “wasn’t worried” during the incident and described how he was instructed by security to go down on the floor along with the First Lady.