Secret Service Director Sean Curran said that the extensive security measures in place at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner functioned as intended, stopping a suspect before he could cause further damage.

Officials said the individual taken into custody after the shooting managed to get past the outermost security layer because he had checked into the Washington Hilton as a guest, allowing him access to the premises where President Donald Trump was scheduled to appear.

Two law enforcement officials identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, telling the Associated Press that he was carrying a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives at the time of the incident.

Authorities emphasized that security for the annual dinner is always heightened when the president attends, particularly given the location’s history. Decades ago, the Washington Hilton was the scene of an assassination attempt against Ronald Reagan, and officials said the “multi-layered protection” system worked as designed in Saturday’s case.

Despite that, the shooting is expected to prompt renewed scrutiny over security protocols at high-profile political events, especially amid a series of violent incidents in recent years.

Interim Metropolitan Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll told reporters that investigators believe the suspect was staying at the hotel, which likely enabled him to enter during the event.

The hotel had been closed to the general public starting at 2 p.m. ahead of the 8 p.m. dinner. Outside, a group of protesters gathered in rainy conditions, with many directing criticism toward the media in attendance.

Only hotel guests, individuals with tickets to the dinner, invited attendees to pre- or post-event receptions, or those with official credentials from the White House Correspondents’ Association were permitted entry.

The roughly 2,300 attendees in the hotel’s large ballroom were subject to multiple additional screenings before gaining access, including ticket verification and passing through magnetometers staffed by the Secret Service and the Transportation Security Administration.

Officials did not immediately disclose when the suspect checked into the hotel. Video footage shared by Trump shortly after the incident showed the individual running past security personnel as metal detectors were being taken down. Once the president was seated, access to the secured area was closed, which is why the equipment was being dismantled.

“It shows that our multi-layered protection works,” Curran said.

Carroll echoed that assessment, stating that the security plan, developed by the Secret Service, “did work this evening.”

Inside the ballroom, further protective measures were in place, including an additional security perimeter around the president, separating him and others seated at the head table from the rest of the attendees.

Protective features included armored plating beneath the president’s table, Secret Service agents stationed in front of and alongside the stage, and heavily armed counter-assault teams positioned to respond immediately to any threat.

Numerous high-profile attendees also had their own security details present inside the room.

A hotel spokesperson referred questions about internal security procedures to the Secret Service.

The Washington Hilton has a long history of hosting presidential events, with the public often booking rooms or gathering in common areas to observe the activity surrounding high-profile gatherings that regularly attract political leaders, journalists, and celebrities.

While best known for the correspondents’ dinner, the hotel frequently hosts major events involving the president. It was also the site of the 1981 shooting of Reagan by John Hinckley Jr.

Reagan had just concluded a speech and was heading to his limousine when he was shot and seriously wounded. Hinckley later said he carried out the attack in an attempt to impress actress Jodie Foster.

Following that incident, the hotel implemented extensive security upgrades tailored to presidential visits, including a secure garage designed for the presidential motorcade, with direct access to a protected elevator and staircase leading to a dedicated suite.

That suite includes amenities reserved for presidential use, including a private bathroom prepared with monogrammed towels during visits.

Because of the venue’s longstanding role in presidential events, the Secret Service has used the annual dinner as a training opportunity, drawing on decades of familiarity with the location.

In recent years, particularly after the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, hotels nationwide have tightened security practices, including additional monitoring measures and policies to flag unusual behavior.

It remains unclear when the suspect checked into the hotel or whether any such safeguards would have affected the outcome in this case.