UFC president Dana White has described the shooting at the White House correspondents' dinner as an “awesome” experience, despite the chaos and danger. White, a close ally of Donald Trump, was seated near the front of the ballroom when gunfire erupted on Saturday night.
Rather than seeking cover, White said he absorbed the scene. “All of a sudden, it just started getting noisy. Tables getting flipped over, guys running in with guns and they were screaming ‘Get down!’ I didn’t get down – it was fucking awesome. I literally took every minute of it in,” he told reporters. White initially thought the gunman was near his table as security approached.
The suspected shooter, Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, was arrested by law enforcement. Acting US attorney general Todd Blanche said the suspect is believed to have been targeting Trump and senior administration officials.
White has long bonded with Trump over the president’s enthusiasm for UFC, which has boosted his appeal among young men. Trump has announced a UFC event at the White House on 14 June – his 80th birthday – to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary.
