Oz Pearlman, a renowned mentalist hired to entertain guests at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, was performing a magic trick for President Donald Trump when gunfire erupted outside the ballroom Saturday night, forcing the president and roughly 2,300 attendees to scramble for cover.

Pearlman recalled the harrowing moment during an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," describing how he was in the midst of a performance for Trump, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and First Lady Melania Trump when commotion suddenly interrupted the trick. "I was just about to do the reveal and we hear commotion," Pearlman told the network. "I personally thought there was about to be a bomb."

The entertainer said Secret Service agents quickly moved Trump directly in front of him as the situation unfolded. "They bring the president down directly in front of me and we just look at each other for about two seconds and my mind, obviously this is like a huge adrenaline, it's just like, oh no, are we about to die?" Pearlman said.

Authorities identified the suspected gunman as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrence, California. Security personnel apprehended Allen before he could enter the ballroom at the Washington Hilton, where the event was being held. One officer sustained a gunshot wound to the torso but was protected by a bullet-resistant vest during the encounter.

Allen was armed with a shotgun when officers tackled him to the ground. He now faces two federal charges: using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.

During a Sunday interview with Fox News, Trump indicated that Allen had written about targeting administration officials and that his family had alerted authorities before the incident. Allen is expected to face criminal charges on Monday.