Video shows police K-9 reacting before White House shooting unfolded

A police K-9 appears to have picked up on something at the Washington Hilton before Cole Tomas Allen surged through the White House Correspondents’ Dinner checkpoint and gunfire erupted, adding a new layer to the review of the April 25 shooting in Washington, D.C.

The newly released April 30 video, released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, shows the suspect engaging with security at the dinner and, prosecutors say, casing the hotel area the day before the attack. For handlers and working-dog fans, that is the kind of clip that immediately draws attention, because trained K-9s are often used to add situational awareness in high-risk protective settings. But the footage can only go so far. A dog’s reaction can help mark a moment of concern or a change in the environment; it cannot, by itself, prove intent, identify what the dog detected, or replace the judgment of human security officers.

Federal authorities have charged Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, with attempted assassination of the President, interstate transportation of a firearm and ammunition with intent to commit a felony, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. Court filings say Allen reserved a room at the Washington Hilton on April 6 for April 24 through 26, then traveled from near Los Angeles to Chicago and by train to Washington, arriving about 1 p.m. on April 24.

The affidavit says the dinner was held at 1919 Connecticut Avenue NW and drew multiple high-ranking officials, including President Donald J. Trump, the First Lady, the Vice President, and Cabinet secretaries. Prosecutors and the FBI say the April 30 video shows Allen at the hotel the night before the attack and later charging through the Secret Service magnetometer checkpoint. ABC News reported prosecutors said a Secret Service officer was shot, but the bullet struck the agent’s protective vest. The officer survived.

When Allen was arrested, DOJ filings say he had a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun and a Rock Island Armory 1911 .38-caliber pistol. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche all praised the rapid law-enforcement response and said the attack was stopped before it turned into a larger tragedy.

The White House Correspondents’ Association called the shooting a harrowing moment and said everyone in attendance was unharmed, including the President, the First Lady, and the Vice President. The group said its board would meet to assess what happened and determine how to proceed, while noting that its annual dinner is its main source of revenue for scholarships, awards, and other work. Before the event, it had announced 30 students would receive scholarships totaling a record $156,000.