Cole Allen Charged White House Security Checkpoint, Triggering Gunfire at Trump Correspondents’ Dinner

Gunfire erupted at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC, forcing President Donald Trump and top officials to be evacuated after a lone gunman charged a security checkpoint and triggered an exchange of gunfire.

“'Absolute chaos': Gunman charges White House correspondents' dinner checkpoint with Trump inside The suspect is Cole Allen of Torrance, Calif”

ABC News

The incident began Saturday night as the event was underway, with NBC News reporting Secret Service agents swarmed the ballroom just after 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time, “moments after several loud bangs rang out near the main magnetometer screening area.”

ABC News

The Washington Hilton ballroom was packed with attendees in tuxedos and evening gowns, and guests “ducked under tables” as officers in tactical gear moved to secure Trump, the First Lady, Vice President JD Vance, and other dignitaries.

Law enforcement later identified the suspect as Cole Allen, a 31-year-old tutor from Torrance, California, and U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said at a press briefing that Allen was armed with “a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives.”

NBC News and other outlets described the Secret Service as taking control of the hotel, with Pirro posting that “The Secret Service is now in charge of this building, this hotel,” as D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser was en route.

Trump was rushed away from the ballroom and later spoke from the White House hours after the shooting, telling reporters, “I told him we love him and respect him and he's a very proud guy,” referring to the agent who was shot but protected by a bulletproof vest.

The White House Correspondents’ Association canceled the dinner but said it would be rescheduled within 30 days, after Trump vowed, “We very much wanted to continue it,” and said he would not let “these sick people, these thugs, change the fabric of our lives.”

Across reporting, the suspect’s identity and the sequence of events were tied to the Washington Hilton and the security checkpoint outside the ballroom where the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was held.

USA TODAY said the gunman “charged a security checkpoint in a lobby outside the hotel ballroom on April 25,” and described the smell of gunpowder hanging in the air as guests ducked for cover under tables.

Al Jazeera

The BBC said the president was rushed to safety by security agents after a gunman fired shots inside the hotel hosting the dinner, and it identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, carrying “multiple weapons - including guns and knives.”

CNN reported that the White House said the suspect “clearly stated” he wanted to target administration officials, and it said authorities believe the suspect fired “one or two times,” according to a law enforcement source.

NBC News described the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, a California teacher and engineer who was subdued near the packed ballroom after he rushed a security checkpoint and ran toward the dinner, exchanging gunfire with law enforcement.

The New York Times reported that a note attributed to the suspect said administration figures were his “targets, prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest,” and it said the note was roughly 1,000 words and did not mention Trump by name.

In the middle of the chaos, Trump told reporters he initially thought the loud bangs were caused by “a waiter dropping a serving tray,” saying, “It was either a tray or a bullet.”

Trump also described the officer’s condition, telling reporters, “I just spoke to the officer and he's in great shape,” and he said the officer was “saved by the fact that he was wearing obviously a very good bulletproof vest.”

Investigators and prosecutors framed the suspect’s motive through writings and statements attributed to Cole Tomas Allen, while federal authorities prepared charges and an arraignment.

NBC News reported that Allen sent a note to family members about 10 minutes before the Saturday attack, and it quoted the note’s language: “I don’t expect forgiveness” and “Again, my sincere apologies.”

In the same reporting, NBC News said Allen criticized Trump without mentioning him by name and described “expected rules of engagement,” writing: “Administration officials (not including Mr. Patel): they are targets, prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest.”

The New York Times similarly described the note as roughly 1,000 words and said it did not mention Trump by name, but it indicated deep anger at the administration and the president himself.

CNN reported that the White House said the suspect “clearly stated” he wanted to target administration officials, and it said the suspect was expected to appear in court Monday, according to the US attorney for DC.

Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, 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,” and she said additional charges were possible as the investigation continued.

The Guardian reported that acting US attorney general Todd Blanche said, “We do believe, based upon just a very preliminary start to understanding what happened, that he was targeting members of the administration,” and it said Blanche told TV that depending on how the investigation goes, he might also be charged with the attempted assassination of Trump.

NBC News also reported acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said authorities believe the suspect traveled “from Los Angeles to Chicago, and then Chicago to Washington, D.C.” before checking into the hotel in the last day or two.

Reactions from officials, lawmakers, and attendees emphasized both the speed of the response and the fear inside the ballroom as gunfire erupted near the Washington Hilton.

Rep. Nanette Barragan, D-Calif., described the scene as “absolute chaos,” posting on X that she and others had to take cover under their table, while Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., told NBC News he sought shelter behind a pillar and then exited through a back door.

BBC

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., credited House Majority Leader Steve Scalise—himself a survivor of a previous shooting—for leading him to safety, saying, “I personally want to thank Steve Scalise who grabbed me into a secure room.”

In the White House, Secret Service agents evacuated Trump and top officials, and Pirro posted that “The Secret Service is now in charge of this building, this hotel,” as D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser was en route.

Trump later praised law enforcement and said he had spoken with the agent who was shot, telling reporters, “I just spoke to the officer and he's in great shape,” and describing the officer as being in “high spirits.”

Acting interim D.C. Metropolitan Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll said it was too early to determine whether Trump was the intended target, stating, “What his specific motivation was, we can't say at this point.”

The White House Correspondents’ Association President Weijia Jiang told the shaken crowd that “journalism is a public service because when there is an emergency, we run to the crisis, not away from it,” and he added that “on a night when we are thinking about the freedoms in the First Amendment, we must also think about how fragile they are.”

Trump also vowed to reschedule the dinner within 30 days, saying, “We should do it within 30 days, and they’ll have even more security, and they’ll have bigger perimeter security.”

The attack immediately revived questions about security planning for a president described by multiple outlets as one of the most targeted in history, and it set up a near-term legal and political timeline.

“Get the news, your way Sign in for podcasts, documentaries and analysis Sign in orRegister Maybe later Watch: How gunfire sparked chaos at Trump press dinner Watch: How gunfire sparked chaos at Trump press dinnerClose US President Donald Trump had to be rushed to safety by his security agents after a gunman fired shots inside the hotel hosting the White House correspondents' dinner”

BBC

The New York Times reported that security experts asserted that “The system worked,” quoting acting attorney general Todd Blanche saying, “We were safe. President Trump was safe.”

Business Insider

The Guardian reported that Blanche said the suspect was targeting administration members and that, depending on the investigation, he “might also be charged with the attempted assassination of Trump.”

CNN reported that the suspect was expected to appear in court Monday, and it said the White House called for more security at a rescheduled dinner, with Trump saying, “I hope we’re going to do it again,” and “We should do it within 30 days.”

NBC News reported that the suspect is expected to be charged in federal court on Monday, and it described Trump calling the suspected shooter a “whack job” and a “lone wolf.”

The Guardian also reported that investigators were assessing a manifesto reportedly written by the suspect, and it said the manifesto published by the New York Post included a list of targets ranked from highest to lowest priority, with Trump administration officials at the top.

In addition to the legal process, the White House Correspondents’ Association canceled the dinner but said it would be rescheduled within 30 days, and USA TODAY said the dinner was to be rescheduled within 30 days after being canceled.

The attack also intersected with international diplomacy, as the New York Times reported that Buckingham Palace said King Charles III had been “kept fully informed of developments,” and it said the king’s visit was expected to take place as scheduled.