Oz Pearlman, the renowned mentalist and headline performer at the 105th Annual White House Correspondents' Dinner, shared his harrowing experience of last Saturday's shooting from the presidential table, mere inches from President Donald Trump. He admitted that he briefly feared the room was on the brink of exploding.
The terrifying event unfolded around 8:36 p.m. at the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington D.C. when 31-year-old suspect Cole Thomas Allen stormed the lobby's security checkpoint armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and several knives. He fired between five and eight shots before being subdued by Secret Service agents and local police.
Seated beside Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Pearlman recounted his ordeal during interviews with CNN and The New York Times.
“I was in the middle of guessing a name Karoline was thinking of, and just as I was revealing the answer in my notebook, we heard the noise,” the mentalist described to the New York publication.
Initially mistaking the commotion for a tray of dishes crashing or a medical emergency, the swift and decisive action of the Secret Service quickly informed him of the severity of the situation.
Fearing a bomb attack, Pearlman dropped to the ground. At that moment, agents forcefully brought the president down, leaving him face-to-face with Pearlman.
“They tackled him with the force of a National Football League play. We ended up face-to-face, less than a foot away. We locked eyes for about two seconds. It was the most surreal sight of my life,” Pearlman recalled to CNN, before Trump was swiftly evacuated from the room.
The mentalist had to crawl out for safety. “I didn't want to stand up, thinking I might get shot if I did,” he told the same network.
A Secret Service Uniformed Division agent sustained an injury from a bullet, but his bulletproof vest prevented a fatal outcome. There were no civilian casualties among the approximately 2,600 guests in the main hall.
Trump confirmed the shooter's arrest that night on Truth Social and held a press conference at the White House the following day, stating, “No one told me this job was so dangerous.”
This incident marks the third assassination attempt against Trump in under two years, following attacks in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, and in West Palm Beach, Florida, on September 15, 2024.
Allen, a school teacher from Torrance, California, remains under hospital custody for psychiatric evaluation. The deputy prosecutor announced impending charges, including using a firearm during a crime of violence and assaulting a federal officer. He is expected to appear in federal court in Washington D.C. on Monday.
“People could have lost their lives tonight. Thank God the officer who was shot is okay,” Pearlman concluded.
Understanding the White House Correspondents' Dinner Shooting
Who was the suspect involved in the shooting?
The suspect was Cole Thomas Allen, a 31-year-old school teacher from Torrance, California.
How did the mentalist Oz Pearlman describe the incident?
Oz Pearlman described the incident as surreal, noting that he initially mistook the noise for something mundane before realizing the gravity of the situation.
What was President Trump's reaction to the event?
President Trump confirmed the arrest of the shooter and expressed the unexpected danger of his role during a press conference.