White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooter identified
The suspect at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was identified as a California teacher.
The gunman who opened fire at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night was 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, a source told the Daily Mail.
The Los Angeles-area educator was quickly captured by law enforcement just minutes after violating a security checkpoint.
Police discovered that the suspect had several weapons on him, including a shotgun, a pistol and several knives.
President Trump shared a striking image shortly after showing the suspect lying shirtless and face down on the ground. Law enforcement confirmed that he was not shot at while he was stopped.
Photos taken moments after Cole was pinned to the ground by agents show officers restraining him as others moved in to secure the area.
Trump said the suspect was armed with multiple weapons before being stopped by the Secret Service. It is believed Cole may have been a guest of the Hilton hotel where the event took place.
Surveillance video shows the suspect completely blurred as he escapes after passing a security checkpoint and trying to reach the door of the ballroom where the president is meeting with top cabinet members.
Cole is said to be a graduate of California State University (CSU) and CalTech.
President Donald Trump released a photo of the alleged attacker, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of California, on Saturday night.
Law enforcement members respond during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. A man is seen lying on the ground with his hands behind his back
Agents stand guard after an incident at the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner
At the press conference, Trump described him as a ‘sick person, a very sick person.’
‘He’s a lone wolf, crazy business. These are crazy people. ‘Sick, sick people.’
Wolf Blitzer, who was inside the location and just feet away from the shooter, told CNN that the suspect was armed with a “big gun” and fired about six shots.
‘It looks like they caught the gunman, there was a big gun there, it was very worrying. The noise was very loud. “I was a few feet away from the gunman firing randomly, half a dozen shots were so loud,” Blitzer said.
He continued: ‘Then I realized that several police officers had jumped on me trying to protect me. I think that’s when the gunman got shot, I could be wrong but he stopped shooting. I don’t know how one person could get so close to the ballroom with such a weapon; He clearly had a gun and was clearly shooting. I don’t know if he was targeting anyone. ‘I was a few meters away from him but it was very, very scary.’
The suspect’s identity has not yet been officially released and authorities have not confirmed the cause of the incident. It also remains unclear how the person exceeded security limits and got so close to the ballroom entrance.
What is clear is the speed and strength of the response.
Agents rushed to secure the room and evacuate President Trump, who was preparing to make remarks.
President Donald Trump speaks with FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin at a White House press conference shortly after the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
President Trump releases several photos of suspect currently in custody
Video showed nothing but a blurry image as the suspect breached a security checkpoint
People take cover while agents stand guard after a dinner incident
Security guards evacuated US House Speaker Mike Johnson after a shooter opened fire
At one point, the president stumbled briefly, appearing to get stuck, then was helped and carried off the stage.
As the evacuation process continued, a spontaneous chant of ‘God Bless America’ rose from one corner of the room.
Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were among those in attendance, and all were safely removed from the venue.
No injuries were reported except for a Secret Service Agent who was shot in the chest but was protected by his bulletproof vest, officials said.
Reaction from outside quickly intensified. Law enforcement and Secret Service personnel flooded the area, while the National Guard took up positions inside the building.
Guests were allowed to leave but were prevented from re-entering as security teams scanned the area.
A law enforcement official confirmed the capture of a suspect, but authorities have not yet released further information about the person or whether the suspect acted alone.
During the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, officers help guests exit,
Many guests were shaken after the incident
The White House released a statement confirming that a suspect was in custody.
‘The U.S. Secret Service, in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department, is investigating a shooting that occurred near the main magnetometer screening area at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. One person is in custody. ‘The condition of those involved is not yet known and law enforcement is actively assessing the situation.’
Shortly after his release, Trump also posted a message on the Truth Social platform praising the response.
An evening at ‘DC Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a great job. They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter was caught and I advised ‘LET THE SHOW CONTINUE’, but this will be entirely at the direction of the Law Enforcement.’
Organizers initially considered going ahead with the dinner, but officials eventually decided to cancel the event.
