US prosecutors release footage of Trump assassination attempt suspect, deny friendly fire

The Justice Department on Thursday released nearly six minutes of video showing a 31-year-old man attempting to storm the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with a long gun, as prosecutors and senior officials denied that a Secret Service agent wounded in the attack was struck by friendly fire.

US Attorney for Washington Jeanine Pirro posted the footage on social media, writing: "There is no evidence the shooting was the result of friendly fire." The video shows the suspect running through a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton hotel, emerging from a doorway and sprinting toward officers. Most agents did not notice him until he was nearly through the checkpoint. One agent, who was shot, had his weapon drawn before the suspect passed him; the agent appears to shoot at the suspect at least three times, though authorities say the gunman was not hit.

Secret Service Director Sean Curran said the agent was shot at "point-blank range" by the suspect. "Our officer heroically returned fire," Curran told Fox News, adding that the agent fired five times. Curran also said there was a 355-foot distance from the metal detectors to the podium where President Donald Trump was seated.

Trump denied the friendly-fire speculation during an Oval Office briefing on Thursday. "They said it wasn't friendly fire. It wasn't us," he told reporters. Reuters, citing a US law enforcement official, reported that an investigation concluded the agent was not hit by friendly fire.

The footage also shows the suspect "casing the area" at the Washington Hilton a day before the dinner, walking back and forth in a hallway and briefly entering the hotel gym. The suspect was tackled and detained in a chaotic scuffle with security guards, though that portion is not visible in the released video.

The 31-year-old suspect was charged earlier this week with attempted assassination of the US president and faces life in prison if convicted. On Thursday, he agreed to remain in custody while his case moves forward. His attorney, Tezira Abe, said during a court hearing that he would not immediately contest prosecutors' arguments that he is a danger to the community and should remain jailed.