Trump Evacuated from White House Correspondents Dinner After Gunman Opens Fire at Washington Hilton
President Donald Trump and top administration officials were evacuated safely from the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night after a gunman charged through a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton and exchanged gunfire with law enforcement.
The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, was armed with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives when he breached the outer security perimeter shortly after the event began. Allen was subdued by Secret Service agents and federal law enforcement before reaching the ballroom where Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Cabinet members were gathered.
One Secret Service officer was struck by gunfire in a bulletproof vest and transported to a local hospital in good condition. No other injuries were reported.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said investigators recovered writings from Allen indicating an anti-Trump administration ideology and rhetoric targeting administration officials. The suspect appeared to be targeting Trump administration members, though the investigation remains in preliminary stages. Allen is expected to be charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.
Allen was a guest staying at the Washington Hilton, which allowed him to bypass the outermost security layer before encountering the checkpoint leading to the ballroom. Security footage shows him running past officers who were disassembling magnetometers after the president had been seated. The hotel has been the site of presidential events for decades, including the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.
Trump praised the Secret Service response as "outstanding" and said the incident demonstrated the need for the White House ballroom currently under construction, which he said would feature drone-proof and bulletproof security measures. The president initially wanted to continue his speech but was evacuated per protocol once the room was sealed.
Allen graduated from the California Institute of Technology with a degree in mechanical engineering and later earned a master's in computer science. He recently worked as a teacher and was named Teacher of the Month in December 2024. He had no prior criminal record and was not known to law enforcement before the incident. Authorities believe he traveled from Los Angeles to Washington via train.
The incident occurred during heightened security concerns for political events following multiple acts of political violence in recent years. Republican lawmakers called for full funding of the Department of Homeland Security, which has been shut down since mid-February. Democratic leaders condemned the violence and emphasized the importance of peaceful disagreement.
The White House Correspondents' Association dinner was not resumed. Trump said he plans to reschedule the event within 30 days.
