UFC president Dana White has sparked backlash after describing the shooting at the White House correspondents’ dinner as an “awesome” experience. 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 “took every minute of it in”. He told reporters: “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. It was a pretty crazy, unique experience.”
The suspected gunman, identified as Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, was apprehended by law enforcement. Acting US attorney general Todd Blanche said the suspect is believed to have been targeting Trump and senior members of his administration.
White, who has bonded with Trump over the president’s enthusiasm for UFC, said he initially thought the shooter was near his table. “They came towards our table. I thought the shooter was over by us or something,” he added with a smile.
Trump has announced a UFC fight event at the White House on 14 June, his 80th birthday, to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary.
