An armed incident occurred during the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Hilton hotel in Washington while US President Donald Trump was attending the event. According to initial reports, a man breached a security checkpoint at the hotel entrance and moved towards the main event hall, after which shots were fired. Trump was immediately escorted from the stage and taken to a secure location.
Guests included First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, several cabinet members and numerous journalists. Witnesses reported hearing loud noises in the hall, later identified as gunfire. The situation led to chaotic scenes as heavily armed security personnel intervened and secured the venue. The US Secret Service evacuated government officials and invited guests within seconds.
Suspect Identified
A security officer wearing a bulletproof vest was shot and taken to hospital. Trump later said at a press conference that the officer “is doing very well”. No other government officials were reported injured.
Authorities said the suspect forced his way through a security checkpoint in the hotel foyer before being subdued and arrested by law enforcement officers. The suspect was not shot. The dinner was immediately suspended and, according to Trump, is expected to be rescheduled within 30 days.
The suspect was identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, California. The identification was first reported by the Associated Press, citing unnamed investigators. A law enforcement official also confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that Allen is the suspect and that search warrants for addresses linked to him in Torrance were being prepared.
According to authorities, Allen was heavily armed, carrying a shotgun, a handgun and several knives. The US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, said he faces charges including two counts of using a firearm and assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. Pirro stated that the suspect intended “to cause as much harm as possible”.
Investigators believe Allen acted alone and said there are no additional suspects. A motive has not yet been established. It also remains unclear how many shots were fired and by whom. Trump described the suspect as a “very sick man” from California and suggested that the attack may have been directed at him. He ruled out any connection to a potential conflict with Iran.
Background of the Suspect
Public records from the Federal Election Commission show that Allen made a $25 donation in October 2024 via the political action committee ActBlue to the presidential campaign of Kamala Harris. This appears to be his only recorded political donation in the past 10 years. He is registered as a voter with no party affiliation.
Reports indicate that Allen worked as a teacher and video game developer in southern California. According to his LinkedIn profile, he described himself as a developer, engineer, scientist and teacher. In addition to working as an independent game developer, he was employed by the education company C2 Education, which specialises in test preparation and tutoring. He was named “Teacher of the Month” there in December 2024.
Allen graduated in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 2017. During his studies, he was a member of a so-called Nerf club. He later obtained a master’s degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2025.
He also developed a video game titled Bohrdom, for which he registered a trademark in 2019. The game was released on the Steam platform and described as a non-violent, skill-based combat game combining elements of “bullet hell” and racing games.
Ongoing Investigation
Following his arrest, local and federal investigators searched the suspect’s residential area in Torrance, where he reportedly lived with his family. Police cordoned off parts of the street while FBI agents were present and a helicopter circled overhead. Neighbours described the family as friendly and unremarkable.