Story perspectives

Gunfire Forces Trump Evacuation at WHCD, Agent Injured

4/28/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump was evacuated from White House Correspondents' Dinner after gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, opened fire with handgun, shotgun and knives, during which a Secret Service agent was shot and survived.
Footage showed U.S. President Donald Trump stumbling as agents helped him off the stage.
U.S. President Donald Trump later held a press conference saying the first lady, vice president and cabinet were unharmed.

History

Historical Context

The March 30 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, when John Hinckley Jr. fired six shots, wounded the president, press secretary James Brady and Secret Service agents, exposing gaps in the agency’s layered protection. The incident sparked a lasting debate over gun control and prompted tighter security protocols that were again tested during the 2024 House Correspondents’ Dinner attack on Secret Service personnel.

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Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump was evacuated from White House Correspondents' Dinner after gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, opened fire with handgun, shotgun and knives, during which a Secret Service agent was shot and survived.
Footage showed U.S. President Donald Trump stumbling as agents helped him off the stage.
U.S. President Donald Trump later held a press conference saying the first lady, vice president and cabinet were unharmed.

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