According to major news outlets, the shooting took place on April 25, 2026, at the White House Correspondents' Dinner held at the Washington Hilton hotel. Gunfire was reported near the main magnetometer screening area around 8:40 p.m. while dinner was being served. Media accounts indicated that President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were immediately evacuated by Secret Service agents, along with Vice President JD Vance and other cabinet members. News reports noted this was the first White House Correspondents' Dinner Trump attended as a sitting president.
The dinner, which hosted approximately 2,600 guests according to reports, included senior officials such as FBI Director Kash Patel, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. Former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, who oversaw previous security arrangements, described the event's precautions as almost on the level of a national security event. Despite this, several outlets reported that the Washington Hilton's lobby remained open to other hotel guests, with security screening set up nearer to the ballroom. Before the dinner, around 500 journalists had signed a petition urging the White House Correspondents' Association to oppose Trump's press freedom initiatives, according to media reports. After the shooting, the dinner was canceled, and President Trump and the WHCA jointly announced they would reschedule within 30 days with enhanced security measures.
Authorities identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, a teacher from Torrance, California, though some early reports spelled his middle name as Thomas. Multiple media outlets described Allen as a tutor and amateur video game developer who had worked part-time for six years at C2 Education, an admissions counseling and test preparation company, where he was once named 'Teacher of the Month.' However, there is conflicting information about his employment status at the time of the attack; some sources described him as a former tutoring teacher, while others maintained he was still employed there—a detail potentially significant if recent job loss contributed to his actions.
According to academic records and news accounts, Allen earned a BS in mechanical engineering from Caltech in 2017, where he created a wheelchair emergency brake model and was a member of a nerf gun fighters club, a Christian fellowship, and won a robotics competition in 2016. He later received an MS in computer science from CSU-Dominguez Hills. Public records showed he created a video game called 'Bohrdom' in 2018.
Law enforcement sources stated that Allen legally purchased a .38-caliber pistol in October 2023 and a 12-gauge shotgun the previous year. On the night of the attack, he was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives, according to major media reports citing police. Surveillance footage captured him storming past Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers at the Washington Hilton. The footage showed that just before his dash, security guards were standing in the hallway but reacted swiftly, drawing their firearms as he sped by. Allen attempted to rush past a security checkpoint and exchanged fire with agents. According to two research sources close to the investigation, Allen fired between five and eight shots before being tackled and arrested. One Secret Service agent was struck in his bulletproof vest and is expected to recover; no other injuries were reported among attendees or staff.
Allen was a registered guest at the Washington Hilton, having checked into the hotel days earlier, according to reports. Public records and neighbor testimony indicated he had no prior criminal record; neighbors in Torrance told news outlets that Allen seemed nice and quiet, with no signs of danger. Records showed he donated $25 to ActBlue, a Democratic PAC, for Kamala Harris's 2024 campaign, but was registered to vote with no party preference.
Before the attack, Allen sent a manifesto exceeding 1,000 words to family members that criticized government actions, detailed his reasoning, and contained apologies, political anger, and religious justifications, according to major media reports. The New York Post published the full document, in which Allen signed with a moniker matching now-defunct social media accounts that contained anti-Trump and anti-media content. The exact motive for the attack and whether President Trump was the primary target remain unknown. Investigators are also trying to determine how the suspect was able to bring firearms and knives past hotel security and into the screening area.
Law enforcement officials charged Allen with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer, and the U.S. Attorney indicated more charges are likely. Metropolitan Police interim chief Jeffery W. Carroll said police believe Allen acted alone. The suspect's current condition and next court date have not been released.
In the aftermath, President Trump posted a photo of Allen being arrested on social media, according to media reports. He also invoked the need for a White House Ballroom after the shooting, sources said. Trump reportedly joked to Daily Mail - Sport that the NFL should sign Allen because of his speed. The president told the outlet that he respected law enforcement and described how Allen ran 45 yards, bursting through, and said the run looked almost like a blur. He praised the agents' professionalism, noting they drew their guns immediately, and compared them to Matt Dillon. Trump called Allen a very sick person and credited a bulletproof vest with saving the officer who was hit. He also described his own reluctance to leave, saying he fought to stay. Trump defended first lady Melania Trump, stating she handled the evacuation well. According to Source 5, Trump lashed out at a journalist who read from the manifesto, calling such actions shameful and a disgrace, and he criticized the press as being almost one and the same with the Democratic Party. CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer described the weapon as extremely serious. WHCA president Weijia Jiang emphasized that many people do not realize the degree of coordination with the White House.