An armed man exchanged gunfire with law enforcement after he rushed a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents Association dinner in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, authorities said, an event attended by President Donald Trump and high-ranking members of his administration.
Trump and top members of his Cabinet and Congress were quickly evacuated from the ballroom at the Washington Hilton, where the annual event was being held.
The lone suspect was apprehended after an exchange of gunfire in which a Secret Service officer was injured. No other injuries were reported.
Around 8.35pm local time, a series of loud bangs were heard, coming from just outside the ballroom. The place was packed with journalists and their guests.
Trump later said he thought the shots was the noise of trays being dropped.
Security video posted by Trump on Truth Social showed a person run through a room where several security personnel were standing. Multiple law enforcement personnel drew their guns and charged after him.
Inside the ballroom, Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other officials were rushed from the room as others ducked under tables and law enforcement ran in with guns drawn.
Trump later returned to the White House, where he said in a news briefing that he had spoken with the injured officer, and he praised Secret Service agents for their response.
“I heard a noise and sort of thought it was a tray,” Trump said. “I thought it was a tray going down. I’ve heard that many times, and it was a pretty loud noise.”
He also wrote on Truth Social that first lady Melania Trump, Vance and all Cabinet members “are in perfect condition.”
The Suspect is a Teacher
The suspect was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California.
Allen is a mechanical engineer, video game developer and educator who had won a “teacher of the month” award in 2024. In 2017, Allen graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology.
A former high school volleyball teammate described Allen as a “borderline genius” and “super stable.” “He was probably the most gentle person on the team, which makes it even more shocking that he did this,” his ex-teammate said.
Ahead of the shooting, Allen sent his family members writings that displayed anti-Trump sentiment and described his targets as administration officials.
Allen’s sister, Avriana Allen, described him to law enforcement as having a tendency toward making radical comments as well as constantly referencing a plan to fix issues with the world.
Officials have said Allen has no past criminal record.
The suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives. Law enforcement exchanged gunfire with the suspect and ultimately tackled him and took him into custody. He was not shot but was taken to a hospital.
A Secret Service Uniformed Division officer was “struck in the vest” and taken for treatment to a local hospital. The officer was later released from the hospital, a source said early Sunday.
Previous assassination attempt
The US president was injured in a shooting at a campaign rally in Butler County on 14 July 2024, three months before he was elected president for a second term.
While Trump spoke to the crowd, at least five gunshots were heard. He dropped down, while multiple US Secret Service agents rushed onto the stage to shield him.
Several minutes later, he was helped to his feet by the agents and escorted offstage to his motorcade, with blood visible on his right ear and smeared across his face.
The Secret Service shot and killed the suspect within seconds of the gunfire.
