WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said there was no reason to believe the shooting incident at a White House correspondents’ dinner was linked to the war with Iran, describing the suspect as a “lone wolf”.
Speaking at a press conference after the attack, Trump said the attacker was a “would-be assassin” armed with multiple weapons who charged a security checkpoint before being subdued by Secret Service personnel.
President Donald J. Trump delivers a statement following a shooter near the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. pic.twitter.com/wOr1SjdfvP
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 26, 2026
President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner by Secret Service agents on Saturday night after a man opened fire on security personnel, officials said.
A man carrying a shotgun opened fire on a Secret Service agent during the event, an FBI official told Reuters, adding that the officer was struck in an area protected by body armour and was not injured.
All federal officials, including Trump, were safe. About an hour after Trump was rushed from the event, he posted on Truth Social that a “shooter had been apprehended”.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 26, 2026
Trump said one officer was shot but was saved by a bulletproof vest, adding that authorities had reviewed the circumstances and found no indication of a broader plot.
“In my opinion, he was a lone wolf,” he said, describing the suspect as a “whack job” and ruling out any apparent connection to the Iran conflict.
President Trump Delivers Remarks, Apr. 25, 2026 https://t.co/Lok5NBuFhD
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 26, 2026
“Quite an evening in DC, Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job,” Trump added.
Shortly afterwards, Trump posted, “The First Lady, plus the Vice President, and all Cabinet members, are in perfect condition”.
Anthony Guglielmi, a Secret Service spokesman, said the service was investigating a shooting near the main screening area at the entrance to the event.
Multiple US news outlets identified the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, in the southwest of Los Angeles County.
The federal prosecutor said the shooting suspect will be arraigned in the US capital on Monday and appear before a US district judge.
According to US Attorney Jeanine Piro, the suspect will be charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.
After the sound of shots, dinner attendees immediately stopped talking, and people started screaming, “Get down, get down!”
Hundreds of guests dove under the tables as Secret Service officers in combat gear ran into the dining room. Trump and the first lady had bent down behind the dais before being hustled out by Secret Service officers.
Many of the 2,600 attendees took cover while waiters fled to the front of the dining hall.
Security agents pushed cabinet officials to the ground, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
White House shooting
A security scare disrupted the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night after suspected gunfire triggered panic inside the venue, forcing the evacuation of President Trump, First Lady and hundreds of guests.
The incident unfolded at the Washington Hilton, where the high-profile gala — often dubbed the “Nerd Prom” — was being attended by around 2,600 journalists, officials and media executives.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as loud bangs were heard during the dinner programme, prompting guests to dive under tables while security personnel rushed into the ballroom with weapons drawn. Attendees were heard shouting “Get down, get down!” as panic spread across the hall.
According to pool reports and US media, tactical teams quickly secured the stage area while agents from the United States Secret Service escorted Trump and the First Lady out of the venue. Several senior administration officials were also evacuated amid the confusion.
Video footage from a live broadcast showed Melania Trump reacting to the disturbance with visible concern moments before security personnel moved in. Trump himself was seen bending behind the dais before being swiftly taken away.
In a series of posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump confirmed that he was safe and praised the swift response of law enforcement agencies. He stated that the suspected shooter had been apprehended and that authorities were handling the situation.
“Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely,” Trump wrote, adding that while he had initially suggested continuing the event, the final decision would rest with security officials.
Shortly afterwards, he announced that law enforcement had ordered a full evacuation of the premises in line with protocol.
BREAKING: President Trump and First Lady are rushed out of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
It is unclear what led up to the evacuation, but attendees of the event were seen on video feed ducking and covering around their tables. pic.twitter.com/GbbXmL223t
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 26, 2026
“The First Lady, the Vice President, and all Cabinet members are in perfect condition,” he said, adding that he would address the nation in a press briefing within 30 minutes from the White House.
The dinner was subsequently cancelled, with Trump indicating it would be rescheduled within the next 30 days.
Earlier, some foreign media outlets, including Russian sources, claimed that the attacker had been killed by security forces after opening fire.
However, these reports were contradicted by Trump’s statement that the suspect had been taken into custody. US authorities have yet to release an official detailed account of the incident.
Initial, unconfirmed reports suggested that at least one person may have been injured, though it remains unclear whether the injury was directly related to gunfire or the ensuing panic.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 26, 2026
Witnesses reported a heavy security presence outside the hotel, with police vehicles flooding the area and helicopters hovering overhead as the situation unfolded.
The disruption occurred shortly after the opening remarks and before Trump was scheduled to deliver his speech. According to one cabinet official, Mehmet Oz, there were reports of “shots fired upstairs” as he was being escorted out.
The venue itself carries historical significance, having been the site of the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.
Suspect identified and arrested
US authorities identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from Torrance, California. Law enforcement officials confirmed that he has been taken into custody.
According to early reports, the suspect was armed with multiple weapons and fired at a security checkpoint near the entrance to the event. One Secret Service officer was reportedly struck while wearing a bullet-resistant vest and is expected to recover.
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said preliminary charges include firearms offences and assault on a law enforcement officer with a dangerous weapon, though she indicated that further charges are likely as the investigation continues. The suspect is expected to appear in federal court on Monday.
Suspect identified as California tutor, programmer
Social media profiles and publicly available records that appear to match the California man arrested on Saturday in connection with the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner indicate that he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
A May 2025 profile photograph of Cole Tomas Allen, a resident of Torrance, California, appears to correspond with the image of the alleged attacker being taken into custody, which was shared on Saturday night by US President Donald Trump on social media.
According to AP, the LinkedIn photograph shows Allen wearing a graduation cap and gown after completing a master’s degree in computer science from California State University-Dominguez Hills.
Allen, aged 31, also holds a bachelor’s degree awarded in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
During his time at the institute, he reportedly participated in a Christian student fellowship and was involved in a campus group known for recreational activities that included Nerf gun battles.
An interview broadcast by a local ABC affiliate in Los Angeles during Allen’s final year of undergraduate study featured him discussing emerging technologies designed to assist elderly individuals.
In that segment, he had presented a prototype for an innovative emergency braking system intended for wheelchairs.
According to his online résumé, Allen has spent the past six years employed at C2 Education, an organisation providing admissions guidance and test preparation services for prospective college students.
A 2024 Facebook post by the company identified him as its “teacher of the month”. The organisation has not yet responded to requests for comment. Allen has also been active in software development and gaming projects.
He reportedly created a video game available on the Steam platform, centred around molecular chemistry. In addition, posts attributed to him describe ongoing work on a “top-down shooter” style combat game set in a science fiction, outer space environment.
Incident revives past threats against Trump
The shooting incident also revived memories of previous threats against Trump. During a 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, he survived an assassination attempt in which a gunman opened fire, killing a supporter and grazing Trump’s ear. The attacker was later shot dead by a Secret Service sniper.
In a separate incident months later, another suspect was arrested after being spotted with a rifle near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach.
Saturday’s event marked Trump’s first attendance at the correspondents’ dinner while in office, breaking with his previous pattern of avoiding the gathering. His invitation this year had already sparked controversy among journalists, with some criticising the move in light of his frequent attacks on the media.
