Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche says President Donald Trump was a “likely” target in the shooting scare at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Blanche said preliminary findings indicate the suspected gunman intended to target members of the Trump administration, though investigations are ongoing.
US media identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California. Authorities say he is not cooperating with investigators.
Police had earlier stated that the motive remained unclear.
However, in his first remarks since the incident, Trump described the attack as a “religious thing” and “strongly anti-Christian.”
Shots were reported at about 20:35 ET (01:35 BST) at the Washington hotel hosting the high-profile event, which was attended by senior politicians and journalists.
Authorities say inquiries into the incident are continuing.
