US President Donald Trump says a shooter has been apprehended after a security incident forced his evacuation from the White House correspondents’ dinner in Washington.
Mr Trump said a man “armed with multiple weapons” charged at a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton hotel where the event was being held.
The suspect was identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, according to AP, The Washington Post and The New York Times.
Associated Press (AP) has found social media posts that appear to match the California man. They show that he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
A May 2025 profile photo of Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, appeared to match the appearance of the man in a photo of the alleged attacker being taken into custody that was posted by Mr Trump.
The photo, posted to the social networking site LinkedIn, showed him in a cap and gown after graduating with a master’s degree in computer science from California State University-Dominguez Hills.
US President Donald Trump posted a picture of the suspected shooter on social media. (Truth Social: @realDonaldTrump)
“He was taken down by some very brave members of Secret Service. And they acted very quickly,” Mr Trump said at a White House press conference shortly after the security scare.
The president said the suspect fired at a Secret Service agent.
“He was shot from very close distance with a very powerful gun and the [bulletproof] vest did the job,”
he said.
“I just spoke to the officer and he’s doing great. He’s in great shape. Has very high spirits and we told him we love him and respect him.”
At a separate conference, the Metropolitan Police Department Chief Jeff Carroll said the agent was taken to hospital for treatment.
Guests take cover after hearing gunshots at the White House correspondents’ dinner. (Reuters: Evan Vucci)
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Mr Carroll said the suspect, who was also taken to hospital for evaluation, “was not struck by gunfire”.
He added the man was “armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives” when he stormed the security checkpoint.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the accused gunman is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration.
Mr Blanche said officials believe the suspect travelled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington, where in recent days he checked in as a guest to the hotel where the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was being held on Saturday night.
US Attorney Jeanine Piro said the suspect would be charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.
He is due to appear before a US district judge on Monday, local time.
Suspect a ‘whack job’, Trump says
Authorities said the incident appeared to be isolated, though the motive and intended target remain unclear.
Mr Carroll said preliminary information suggested the suspect may have been a guest at the hotel.
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An FBI official told Reuters the bureau’s counter-terrorism unit would lead the investigation.
FBI director Kash Patel said agents would examine the suspect’s background “thoroughly”.
“We are going to ensure that he was either a lone wolf actor or anyone else that was responsible,” he said.
Asked whether he believed the suspect acted alone, Mr Trump said: “My impression is he was a lone wolf, a whack job.
“These are crazy people, and they have to be dealt with.”
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Guests take cover as chaos unfolds
Earlier, guests had only just been seated when Secret Service agents flooded the ballroom and ordered attendees to “get down”.
Mr Trump and members of his cabinet were rushed from the room after a loud, unidentified noise, according to Reuters.
Many of the roughly 2,600 attendees in the Washington Hilton hotel took cover while waiters fled to the front of the hall.
Waiters were seen fleeing to the front of the dining hall. (Reuters: Jonathan Ernst)
Dignitaries at the head table included Mr Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Vice-President JD Vance.
Both the president and vice-president were unharmed, according to an AP source.
“Quite an evening in DC, Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job,” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“The shooter has been apprehended.”
Secret service agents respond during the incident at the White House correspondents’ dinner. (AP Photo: Tom Brenner)
US House Speaker Mike Johnson was evacuated by security officials. (Reuters: Jonathan Ernst)
In a subsequent post, Mr Trump said law enforcement officials requested “we leave the premises, consistent with protocol, which we will do, immediately”.
“The First Lady, plus the Vice President, and all Cabinet members, are in perfect condition,” he wrote.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was “pleased to hear” the US president and the first lady, along with all attendees, were safe.
“We applaud the work of the Secret Service and law enforcement agencies for their swift action,” he said.
After an initial attempt to continue the correspondents’ dinner, the event was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
“I have spoken with all representatives in charge of the event, and we will be rescheduling within 30 days,” Mr Trump said.
Guests were seen leaving the dinner. (AP Photo: Allison Robbert)
White House Correspondents’ Association president Weijia Jiang said: “We will do this again.”
Shortly afterwards, staff began breaking down table settings and the presidential lectern.
All officials protected by the Secret Service were evacuated and Mr Trump returned to the White House to hold a press conference.
Pictures also showed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his wife Jeanette Dousdebes Rubio at one of the West Wing entrances.
US President Donald Trump takes questions at a press conference shortly after the incident. (Reuters: Jonathan Ernst)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his wife Jeanette Dousdebes Rubio wait at one of the West Wing entrances. (Reuters: Jonathan Ernst)
Questions over venue security
A focus of the investigation is likely to be how the suspected gunman was able to smuggle weapons into the Washington Hilton hotel.
At the press conference, Mr Trump said the venue was “not a particularly secure” facility.
The Washington Hilton has long hosted the correspondents’ dinner and typically remains open to regular guests during the event.
Security is generally concentrated around the ballroom, with less screening in other public areas of the hotel.
In past years, that has allowed for disruptions in lobbies and other shared spaces, including protests.
The National Guard also responded to the security incident at the Washington Hilton hotel. (AP Photo: Mark Schiefelbein)
Asked whether the incident represented a failure of security, Mr Carroll said a “multi-layered” approach had been in place.
“We had officers on the outside from the Metropolitan Police Department along with the escort,” he said.
“The inside portion of any presidential site is handled by the Secret Service and law enforcement partners.”
He said the checkpoint where the suspect was confronted was designed to intercept hotel guests.
“When he reached that checkpoint, Secret Service agents and law enforcement engaged him immediately,” Mr Carroll said.
“They were able to bring him into custody and prevent anyone from being harmed.”
Members of the National Guard took up position inside the building as people were allowed to leave but not immediately re-enter.
It was the third time since 2024 that the US president had been under threat by an attacker in his immediate vicinity.
In 1981, US President Ronald Reagan was shot by John Hinckley Jr outside the Hilton hotel — prompting redesigns of the property that increased security and added a special presidential suite near the entrance where chief executives could be taken.
Mr Trump was dispatched there briefly after the incident on Saturday night, local time.
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