Shots Fired at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

by WILL FOLKS

***

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were among the dignitaries evacuated from the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner in the Hilton Hotel ballroom in Washington, D.C. on Saturday evening (April 25, 2026) after an armed assailant attempted to storm the gathering.

Attendees became aware of the situation after hearing shots fired in a lobby area outside of the ballroom as the event was getting underway inside.

Miraculously, no attendees at the event were injured during the apparent assassination attempt.

The moment unfolded live from within the ballroom on C-SPAN, which captured the sound of between four and five loud bangs – followed by U.S. Secret Service agents surrounding the presidential party on the stage and instructing those at the dinner to “stay down.”

***

Loud Bangs and President Trump Evacuated

"Stay down!"

Loud bangs are heard and President Trump and others are evacuated from White House Correspondents' Association Dinner.

Watch LIVE –> https://t.co/OQnyC97cOI#WHCD #WHCA #NerdProm pic.twitter.com/b36LtCEhnx

— CSPAN (@cspan) April 26, 2026

***

“I heard what sounded like four shots, and it seemed to come from the hall just outside the ballroom near my table,” Deadline reporter Ted Johnson said.

***

Wide shot of ballroom as loud bangs are heard and President Trump is evacuated from the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. #WHCD #WHCA #NerdProm pic.twitter.com/AUy79J9yQd

— CSPAN (@cspan) April 26, 2026

***

A Scripps News employee captured images of law enforcement responders detaining a “suspected gunman” at the event, noting the “Secret Service tackled the gunman to the ground.”

***

***

Initial reports from CNN and other media outlets suggested Secret Service agents “shot and killed” a suspect in the lobby of the hotel in connection with the incident – but subsequent reports confirmed only that a shooter had been taken into custody.

The shooter, later identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, was armed with a shotgun, handgun and several knives, according to the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police.

“One suspect is in custody and is believed to have acted alone,” a statement from the agency confirmed, adding that “two firearms and multiple knives have been recovered.”

D.C. police confirmed one uniformed division officer with the Secret Service was “injured and transported with non-life threatening injuries” to a local hospital.

Late Saturday, Trump posted video of the incident on his Truth Social account which depicted a man – alleged to be Allen – storming through the lobby area en route to the ballroom.

***

***

The president also shared two images of Allen handcuffed on the ground following his capture.

“Quite an evening in D.C.,” Trump posted on his Truth Social page. “Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we ‘LET THE SHOW GO ON’ but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement. Regardless of that decision, the evening will be much different than planned, and we’ll just, plain, have to do it again.”

During a press conference at the White House following the incident, Trump referred to the shooter as a “lone wolf” and “very sick person” – and once again stated he would have preferred to stay at the dinner and continue the event.

***

***

Initial reports from CNN and other outlets suggested Secret Service agents “shot and killed” a suspect in the lobby of the hotel in connection with the incident – but subsequent reports indicated only that Allen had been taken into custody.

An initial statement from the Secret Service indicated its agents and metro police were “investigating a shooting incident near the main magnetometer screening area at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.”

“The president and the first lady are safe along (with) all protectees,” the statement confirmed. “One individual is in custody, The condition of those involved is not yet known, and law enforcement is actively assessing the situation.”

Both the president and first lady were indeed unharmed amid the commotion, as were vice president JD Vance, House speaker Mike Johnson and several members of the Trump cabinet who were in attendance at the event (including secretary of state Marco Rubio, secretary of war Pete Hegseth and health czar Robert F. Kennedy Jr.).

A follow-up statement from Secret Service deputy director Matthew Quinn referred to the shooter as a “coward” who “attempted to create a national tragedy.”

***

“He underestimated the protective capabilities of the U.S. Secret Service, and was stopped at first contact,” Quinn added. “The strength of our layered security posture was evident, with a myriad of countermeasures still ahead.”

Saturday evening’s event marked Trump’s first-ever appearance at the gathering, which he boycotted during his first term in office.

“Quite an evening in D.C.,” Trump posted on his Truth Social page. “Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we ‘LET THE SHOW GO ON’ but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement. They will make a decision shortly. Regardless of that decision, the evening will be much different than planned, and we’ll just, plain, have to do it again.”

If it is revealed Allen was targeting Trump, this would be the third time in the past two years a gunman has sought to end his life.

Then-candidate Trump was wounded by a would-be assassin on July 13, 2024 during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Two months later, a second would-be assassin targeted Trump as he was playing golf at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

***

.@POTUS: "A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, and he was taken down by some very brave members of Secret Service… One officer was shot, but saved… the vest did the job. I just spoke to the officer, and he's doing great." pic.twitter.com/ypKrVT8YPU

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 26, 2026

***

“It comes with the territory, and If you want to do a great job… take a look at what’s happened to some of our greatest presidents,” Trump said at his post-shooting press conference. “It doesn’t happen to people that don’t do anything.”

Four U.S. presidents – Abraham Lincoln, (1865) James Garfield, (1881) William McKinley (1901) and John F. Kennedy (1963) – have been killed by assassins during the 250-year history of the American Republic.

Kash Patel, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said his agency was undertaking a deep dive into Allen’s background and would “analyze all evidence immediately to make sure that we safeguard this country.”

A D.C. landmark since its opening in 1965, the Hilton is no stranger to politically motivated violence. On March 30, 1981, would-be assassin John Hinckley Jr. fired six shots at Ronald Reagan – who was just two months into his first term in office. Reagan was seriously wounded during the shooting with a bullet puncturing his lung and coming within a quarter inch of his heart.

“It’s not a particularly secure building,” Trump acknowledged during his press conference.

***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.

***

SOUND OFF…

Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.