President Donald Trump said the suspect who opened fire at a dinner gala over the weekend was "a very fast person" who caught security a little by surprise."
Trump, during an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes, discussed the shooter's athleticism and ability to rush past a security checkpoint.
"His speed was rather incredible, actually," Trump said. "He was like a blur."
Footage of the shooter widely shared online showed the moment Cole Tomas Allen, 31, quickly breached a security checkpoint at the dinner while armed with multiple guns and knives.
"I think the NFL should sign him up. He was fast," the president added.
Allen attempted to charge toward the ballroom at the Washington Hilton, where the White House Correspondents Dinner was being held with members of the press. Trump said the gunman was subdued shortly after making it past the checkpoint, commending the Secret Service for taking him down.
Trump was hurried off the stage after loud bangs rang out. He was unharmed.
The April 25 incident marked the third possible attempt on Trump's life. In July 2024, Trump was injured in an attempted assassination at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. He was also a target of a shooting at his Florida golf course in September 2024.
Questions have since emerged about the intended target of the shooting.
“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
The accused gunman, originally from Torrance, California, sent a message to family members just minutes before the attack in which he described himself as “Friendly Federal Assassin” and railed against recent actions taken by the Trump administration.
Federal campaign finance records show he contributed $25 to a Democratic Party political action committee in support of Kamala Harris's presidential campaign in 2024. According to professional networking site LinkedIn, he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2017 from the California Institute of Technology, a prestigious university with a low acceptance rate. Meanwhile, the White House said it's reviewing security protocols following the shooting.