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Performer describes harrowing moments during White House shooting
A mentalist performing at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner recounted the terrifying moment he found himself face-to-face with President Donald Trump as gunshots erupted in Washington D.C. on Saturday night.
The Incident
Oz Pearlman, known for his mind-reading acts, was mid-performance when the attack unfolded. He was interacting with Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on stage at the Washington Hilton hotel.
Pearlman told the BBC he was in the process of guessing the number of letters in the press secretary's unborn baby's name when he heard gunfire. He immediately dropped to the ground, only to find himself mere inches from the president as Secret Service agents tackled Trump.
"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.'"
Oz Pearlman, mentalist
Chaos and Confusion
Pearlman described the scene as chaotic, initially believing a bomb was about to detonate due to the Secret Service's focused response toward a specific table. He noted that agents did not appear to be searching for a shooter but rather attempting to prevent an imminent explosion.
"It didn't feel like they were looking for a shooter. It felt like they were looking to stop something from happening," he said.
After the agents swiftly removed Trump from the room, Pearlman and two others crawled to safety. The entire ordeal lasted only seconds, but left a lasting impression on the performer.
Trump's Account
In an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes on Sunday, Trump downplayed the severity of the situation, stating he "wasn't worried" during the incident. "I understand life. We live in a crazy world," he said.
He recalled being instructed by security to drop to the floor. "I turned, I started walking, and they said, 'Please go down. Please go down on the floor.' So I went down and the first lady went down also," Trump recounted.
Suspect in Custody
Law enforcement officials identified the suspected gunman as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from California. He was arrested at the venue after exchanging gunfire with security agents on a floor above the event.
According to sources cited by CBS, Allen told officials he intended to shoot members of the Trump administration. He is expected to face formal charges at a hearing in Washington later on Monday.
