Footage captures K-9 appearing to sniff suspect before WHCD shooting

Updated May 1, 2026, 4:20 p.m. ETVideo released on Thursday, April 30, appears to show a police dog sniffing White House Correspondents' dinner accused shooter, Cole Tomas Allen, moments before shots were fired on Saturday, April 25.The 33-second video shared by Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, captures Allen, dressed in a long coat, walking down a hallway in the Washington Hilton Hotel in D.C., where the dinner was held. As he approaches a security checkpoint with side-by-side magnetometers that look similar to walk-through metal detectors, he turns into an open doorway off the hallway.A vested and leashed K-9 unit crosses the hallway to follow Allen, its handler trailing behind. The dog follows Allen into the room. Both remain off-camera for about three seconds, at which point the K-9 officer seems to direct the dog away from Allen, pulling its leash.The K-9 officer's role at the event is unclear. Police dogs can assist in a variety of tasks, including detecting illegal substances, electronics, or explosives. Some are trained to track down missing persons or help officers detain suspects. Anthony Guglielmi, spokesman for the Secret Service, did not immediately respond to questions from USA TODAY about the