K9 Pulled Away Seconds Before Cole Allen Charged Security At White House Correspondents' Dinner WATCH

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A new viral video showed the moment a K9 unit tried to alert the security team about Cole Tomas Allen as he ran through security with a long gun toward the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, was charged with attempted assassination of the president, as well as two additional firearms counts, including discharging a weapon during a crime of violence. He faces up to life in prison if convicted of the assassination count alone.

In the video, the K9 can be seen barking at Allen through a doorway near metal detectors before the handler pulled the dog away as about a dozen federal officers were seen taking down magnetometers and casually standing around.

The footage from the security checkpoint showed him emerging from a doorway and starting to sprint toward the officers.

Collin Rugg, who shared the video, said,“A K9 appeared to be suspicious of White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen but was pulled away just seconds before Allen charged through security.”

“The dog was seen following Allen through a doorway but was pulled back by its handler,” he noted.“Immediately after the handler turned away with the dog, Allen was seen charging through security.”

Collin termed the incident a“massive failure on every level”.

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Netizens said that the video proved that there was a“big lapse” in the security at the hotel ballroom with US President Donald Trump in attendance, along with journalists, administration officials and others.

Many social media users said that the rule of thumb is“LISTEN TO YOUR DOG!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Big mistake by that handler. He needs more training not the dog,” said another user.“He was pulling his handler towards the threat and the handler just walked away like it's nothing,” added another.

Several users also alleged a conspiracy and said,“Whoever the K9 handler is needs to be questioned along with whoever decided to take down the metal detector. The K9 handler appears to talk to Allen and allow him to proceed with the attack. The dude is carrying a shotgun in his shirt and his dog alerts on him. The K9 handler is looking directly at him, appears to talk to him then conveniently turns his back and allow Allen to attack? At best - shocking incompetence.”

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Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for Washington, also released a video showing the moment authorities say Allen, armed with guns and knives, tried to storm the dinner and attempt to kill President Trump.

Pirro posted the video on social media amid questions over whose bullet struck a Secret Service officer as Allen ran through security with a long gun.

Prosecutors had previously claimed the agent was shot in the bullet-resistant vest during the melee, but had not confirmed it was Allen who shot the agent.

Pirro, however, said that there is no evidence that the officer was hit by friendly fire.

The video appears to show Allen run through a magnetometer and point his weapon at the agent, who fired back five times, according to authorities. It's not clear from the video at what moment Allen's weapon fires.

Allen was injured but was not shot during the Saturday night attack at the Washington Hilton, which disrupted one of the highest-profile annual events in the nation's capital.

The gunman quickly reached the officers who were taking down magnetometers and casually standing in the hallway before most of them appeared to notice him. Only one officer visible in the video appears to have drawn his gun before the gunman passed; Pirro said he's the one who was shot and returned fire.

Also Read | Gunman shared chilling manifesto with family before WH dinner attack - Report 'The site was set up perfectly': Curran

In a Fox News interview, Secret Service Director Sean Curran defended the agency's security plan for the event and said he would not change it.

He said that the attack was stopped within seconds at the outermost perimeter of a multi-layered security bubble around the president.

The distance from the magnetometers to the podium where Trump was seated was 355 feet, with two sets of stairs, a doorway and many more armed Secret Service officers in between, he said.

"The site was set up perfectly," Curran said.

(With agency inputs)

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