Story perspectives

Secret Service Agent Unhurt in Washington Hilton Shooting; Shooter Charged

4/26/2026

Summary

Story summary

Cole Tomas Allen opened fire at Washington Hilton ballroom during Correspondents’ Dinner April 25, 2026, striking a Secret Service agent whose vest prevented injury.
He carried a shotgun, handgun and knives.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro charged him with firearm use during a crime of violence and assault on federal officer, arraignment for April 27.
Investigators say Allen acted alone and note his tutoring, a 2024 Teacher of the Month award, 2017 Caltech engineering degree.

History

Historical Context

On March 30 1981, John Hinckley Jr. fired six shots at President Ronald Reagan outside the Washington Hilton, wounding Reagan, James Brady and Secret Service agents; the hotel’s “President’s Walk,” added after John F. Kennedy’s 1963 assassination, became a security benchmark. A 2026 shooting in the same ballroom revived scrutiny of those protocols and prompted renewed calls for stricter gun laws and enhanced agent protection.

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Story summary

Cole Tomas Allen opened fire at Washington Hilton ballroom during Correspondents’ Dinner April 25, 2026, striking a Secret Service agent whose vest prevented injury.
He carried a shotgun, handgun and knives.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro charged him with firearm use during a crime of violence and assault on federal officer, arraignment for April 27.
Investigators say Allen acted alone and note his tutoring, a 2024 Teacher of the Month award, 2017 Caltech engineering degree.

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