What we know about gunfire at White House correspondents’ dinner

US President Donald Trump was evacuated from the White House correspondents’ dinner on Saturday night after a gunman opened fire near a security checkpoint at the event in Washington DC.

The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, is in custody. Officials said he was armed with multiple weapons and appears to have acted alone. One federal agent was hit in an exchange of fire, but was protected by his bullet-proof vest.

On Sunday, acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said preliminary findings suggest the suspect was “targeting administration officials”, “likely” including the president.

Thousands of guests, including senior politicians, journalists and public figures, had been gathered in the ballroom for the annual dinner.

In an address from the White House after the incident, Trump said it was “always shocking when this happens, that never changes”.

“When you are impactful they go after you, when you are not impactful they leave you alone,” he added. “It’s a dangerous profession.”

He later described the gunman as a “lone-wolf whack job”, and praised law enforcement for their swift response.

What happened?
CCTV footage posted by Trump from the Washington Hilton hotel, where the dinner was taking place, shows a person rushing past security officers, who then turn and chase him.

Police said security officials and the suspect exchanged fire. Citing police sources, CBS said at least five to eight shots were fired. A Secret Service agent was struck in the exchange, but has since been released from hospital.

Inside the ballroom itself, where more than 2,000 people had gathered for the event, footage showed Trump and the first lady at their seats on a stage at the front of the room when loud bangs were heard in the distance.

They appeared to notice commotion in the room and were then rushed from the stage by security, while some guests took cover.

Several Secret Service agents ran to the stage, holding weapons, as attendees were seen ducking under the circular tables.

The room was briefly locked down, before an announcement that the event would be delayed and rescheduled. Attendees were ushered from the room, with many attempting to report on the unfolding events.

Immediately after the incident, the president wrote on Truth Social: “The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we “LET THE SHOW GO ON” but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement.”

In a subsequent post he said law enforcement had requested he and the first lady leave the premises.

Trump later posted a close-up photo of a shirtless man on the floor with his hands cuffed behind his back, with Secret Service personnel standing around him.

The White House correspondents’ dinner is an American press tradition that dates back to 1921, and is historically attended by the sitting president. Trump was last in attendance in 2011, and this was the first time he had attended as president.

What did Trump say after the shooting?
Speaking from the White House an hour or so after the incident, the president said that a “very sick man” had been taken into custody after he charged security with a “powerful weapon”.

Trump said one Secret Service agent was shot at very close range in the incident, but was saved by his bullet-proof vest.

The president said he had spoken to the officer who was “in very high spirits, and we told him we love him and respect him, and he’s a very proud guy”.

The president described a room that was “totally unified”, with a “tremendous amount of love and coming together”.

The president also referred to two previous attempts on his life – at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024, and while Trump was golfing in Palm Beach, Florida, in September 2024.

He said it was “always shocking when this happens, that never changes”, noting that the first lady was “rather traumatised” by the incident.

The president also thanked the media, who he says were “very responsible” in their coverage of the unfolding situation.

In his first interview on Sunday following the shooting, Trump said the alleged gunman had “hatred in his heart” and was “strongly anti-Christian”.

He told the news he did not know quite how dangerous his job would be when he ran for president, adding: “If you’re a consequential president you’re in much more danger than if you’re not a consequential president.”

Trump said he had “really wanted” to continue the event but protocol prevented this. He praised the “outstanding” reaction of law enforcement, adding the suspect came running in like “an NFL running back” and they “stopped him cold”.

Who is the suspect and what has he been charged with?
The suspect has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, according to law enforcement sources quoted by US media.

At a press conference, Washington DC’s interim police chief Jeffery Carroll said the alleged gunman was a guest at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the event was taking place.

Carroll said he was “armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives”.

Pictures later emerged showing FBI agents and police searching an area at a California address believed to be linked to the suspect.

Jeanine Pirro, US attorney for Washington, said the suspect was facing two charges – using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. He will be formally charged on Monday in federal court.

Allen describes himself as a mechanical engineer, game developer and teacher on LinkedIn.

According to his profile, he studied mechanical engineering at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), before graduating with a master’s in computer science from California State University in 2025.

Caltech confirmed to CBS in an email that Allen had graduated from the institute in 2017, but provided no further details.

A computer science professor who taught Allen at California State University described him as “soft-spoken, very polite, a good fellow”.

“I am very shocked to see the news,” he told the Associated Press news agency.

Since 2020, Allen worked part-time for a tutoring firm in Torrance called C2 Education, and in December 2024 he was named “teacher of the month”.

It is unclear if he is still employed by the company. The Torrance Unified School District told CBS in a statement that Allen has never been an employee of their district.

Los Angeles County’s voter registration records appear to show he had no registered party preference.