WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were safely evacuated from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday after a gunman rushed a Secret Service checkpoint inside the Washington Hilton, officials said.
At approximately 8:36 p.m., a single suspect armed with a shotgun, handgun, and multiple knives charged into the hotel lobby area and attempted to breach a Secret Service checkpoint, according to law enforcement. He was intercepted immediately by Secret Service agents, and gunfire was exchanged.
During a late-night news conference, officials said the suspect is believed to have been a guest at the Washington Hilton, where the event was taking place. “Preliminary information, we do believe he was a guest here at the hotel,” Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) interim chief Jeffery Carroll said. “We have secured a room here in the hotel, and we’ll go through the appropriate procedures to determine what was inside there.”
The suspect was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and was not struck by gunfire. A Secret Service officer was shot in protective gear during the exchange but survived due to his vest.
“He was shot from very close distance with a very powerful gun, and the vest did the job,” Trump told reporters in the White House Briefing Room. “I just spoke to the officer — he’s in great shape, very high spirits.”
Trump also described what he experienced during the incident, saying he initially thought the sound was unrelated before realizing something was wrong. “I heard a noise and sort of thought it was a tray going down,” he said. “It was a gun. It was pretty far away, but it was a gun.” He added that Secret Service moved “very quickly” and evacuated him and the First Lady within seconds.
Sources confirmed to CNN the suspect is Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from California. Officials said he is believed to have acted alone, with no indication of additional threats.
Photos later posted on Trump’s Truth Social account showed the suspect lying face down on the carpet surrounded by agents after being taken into custody.
Witnesses reported hearing five to eight shots as panic spread through the ballroom. Several Secret Service agents were heard shouting “shots fired,” and radio traffic confirmed the suspect had been detained within moments.
Acting Attorney General Jeanine Pirro, who was attending the dinner, described the atmosphere inside the ballroom after shots were heard.
“A whole room went silent,” Pirro said. “When I lifted my head, every law enforcement officer was out there, as we all had our heads down, thousands of them.”
Members of the National Guard were deployed inside the venue as attendees were evacuated and not allowed to re-enter.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran said his agents “performed admirably,” crediting their rapid response in stopping the suspect at the checkpoint. “We got to see what they do, and that individual, when he charged a checkpoint, was apprehended,” Curran said. “It shows that our multi-layered protection works.”
White House Correspondents’ Association President Weijia Jiang said officials ordered an immediate evacuation and emphasized that no one inside the main event space was injured.
Pirro said the suspect is facing multiple federal charges, including assault on a federal officer and use of a firearm during a violent crime, with additional charges expected.
“It is clear, based upon what we know so far, that this individual was intent on doing as much harm and damage as he could,” Pirro said. “Because the checkpoint worked, there was no one injured when it was clear where this defendant was going.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren Cox said the agency has deployed its Joint Terrorism Task Force, crisis response teams, and evidence units to the scene.
“The American public should be proud of the quick response and heroic actions from law enforcement officers tonight,” Cox said. “Their actions are absolutely heroic.”
FBI Director Kash Patel said investigators are examining ballistics, a recovered long gun, and shell casings, and conducting witness interviews. He urged the public to submit any information, saying, “No piece of information is too small.”
Officials said Trump was inside the ballroom at the time and was safely evacuated. The suspect was stopped before reaching the event space.
“What we have here is a multi-layered approach,” Chief Carroll said. “When he reached that checkpoint, Secret Service agents and law enforcement engaged immediately and brought him into custody before anyone was harmed.”
Trump said on Truth Social shortly after the incident that the suspect had been apprehended and urged that “the show go on,” while deferring to law enforcement.
“Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and law enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely,” he wrote.
Trump later said the incident “unified us,” describing the moment as one where people inside the venue responded together in shock and solidarity.
When asked whether he is concerned about political violence against him, Trump acknowledged concern but said he cannot dwell on it, describing the presidency as a “dangerous profession.” He said that while the risks are real, he must continue doing the job regardless.
He added that guests were evacuated in accordance with protocol and said the event is expected to be rescheduled within 30 days. Trump also said Vice President JD Vance and all Cabinet members are in “perfect condition.”
He described the suspect as a “very sick person” and praised the response, saying officers acted “very fast” and “very impressively.”
Officials said the investigation remains ongoing, with federal and local agencies working to determine motive and background.