UFC president Dana White says experience at press dinner shooting was ‘awesome’

While many of those present during the shooting at the White House correspondents’ dinner were shocked by Saturday night’s events, UFC CEO Dana White seemed to rather enjoy himself.

White, a long-time ally of Donald Trump, was sitting near the front of the ballroom hosting the dinner when the event was interrupted by the sound of gunfire. Rather than trying to find a safe place to hide during the chaos, White was enthused by the scene.

“All of a sudden, it just started getting noisy,” White told reporters of the aftermath of the shooting. “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. It was a pretty crazy, unique experience.”

White said he initially thought the shooter was near him as security forces approached his table. “They came towards our table,” White said with a smile. “I thought the shooter was over by us or something.”

The suspected gunman was apprehended by members of law enforcement and is in custody. The acting US attorney general, Todd Blanche, said the suspect is believed to have been targeting Trump and senior members of his administration. He has been named as Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.

White has bonded with Trump over the president’s enthusiasm for UFC, which has been credited with boosting his popularity among young men. Trump has announced a fight event at the White House this summer to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary. The event will take place on 14 June, the president’s 80th birthday.