Shooting Attempt at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

On Saturday night, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen fired a shotgun, handgun and knives outside the Washington Hilton ballroom where President Donald Trump was to speak at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Shots prompted the Secret Service to evacuate Trump, Vice President JD Vance and cabinet members. Allen was stopped at a checkpoint, subdued, and taken to a hospital; no serious injuries were reported.

Wired Magazine

The annual dinner, a satirical gathering of journalists and officials, was to feature Trump’s remarks. Security includes a metal detector and Secret Service presence.

Wired Magazine

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, earned a mechanical-engineering B.S. from Caltech (2017) and an M.S. in computer science from CSU-Dominguez Hills (2025). He has worked part-time for C2 Education since 2020, receiving a “Teacher of the Month” award in December 2024. Allen’s LinkedIn lists him as a “mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth,” and notes his 2018 Steam release of the indie game Bohrdom.

Newsweek

• Saturday night: Allen breaches checkpoint, fires a shotgun, handgun and knives.

Newsweek

• Secret Service evacuates Trump, Vance and cabinet; an agent is hit in his vest.

Wired Magazine

• Allen is subdued, taken to a hospital.

Newsweek

• Trump posts “LET THE SHOW GO ON,” then cancels the dinner.

Wired Magazine

• U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announces two firearm-violence counts and one assault-on-officer count.

Mediaite

Police recovered a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives. Allen faces two counts of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence and one count of Assault on an Officer Using a Dangerous Weapon. No other injuries were reported.

Newsweek

President Trump said the injured Secret Service agent was “doing great” and in “great shape,” and he initially urged the show to continue before canceling it. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the federal charges and warned additional counts could follow. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called Allen a “lone actor.” MPD interim chief Jeffery Carroll confirmed the suspect carried a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives and was taken to a hospital for evaluation.

Wired Magazine

Investigators have not disclosed Allen’s motive, and prosecutors may add further charges as the probe continues.

Newsweek

• “LET THE SHOW GO ON” — Donald Trump, President (Truth Social post)

Wired Magazine

• “sick person,” — Donald Trump, President (Truth Social)

Mediaite

• “thug.” — Donald Trump, President (Truth Social)

Mediaite

• “lone wolf” — Donald Trump, President (press conference)

Newsweek

• “Mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth.” — Cole Tomas Allen, LinkedIn profile

Mediaite

Federal prosecutors may add further counts, and security protocols for future high-profile events are under review.

Wired Magazine