Updated April 26, 2026 at 11:13 AM EDT
In a startling turn of events at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C., President Trump and the first lady remained unharmed following a shooting incident on Saturday. The U.S. Secret Service confirmed a suspect is now in custody.
President Trump addressed the nation from the White House, noting that a Secret Service agent was “doing great” after a bullet struck their bulletproof vest. The shooting occurred at a security checkpoint within the Washington Hilton hotel, adjacent to the ballroom hosting the event. No additional injuries were reported.
The suspect, identified as Cole Allen, was named by sources who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak publicly. Trump shared surveillance footage online, depicting law enforcement’s response to an individual sprinting through the hotel premises. He also posted images of a man, shirtless and face down on a carpet, with his eyes closed.
Cole faces charges of using a firearm during a violent crime and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon, with potential for additional charges, as stated by Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
During a press briefing, Jeffery Carroll from DC’s Metropolitan Police revealed that the suspect was equipped with a shotgun, handgun, and multiple knives. Authorities suspect Cole was a hotel guest. Post-incident, he received evaluation at a local hospital, though he wasn’t struck by any gunfire.
A chaotic scene
The tranquility of the evening shattered as gunfire erupted around 8:30 p.m. ET, sending attendees into panic. In the ballroom filled with journalists, politicians, and the administration, including Vice President Vance, chaos ensued as guests scrambled for safety.
Footage from inside the ballroom captured the swift evacuation of those on the main stage, including the president and first lady, amid urgent shouts to “stay down.” President Trump later commended the Secret Service on social media for their rapid response.
“Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended,” Trump posted. He later reassured that all cabinet members were secure.
Weijia Jiang, president of the correspondents’ association, remarked, “I said earlier tonight that journalism is a public service, because when there is an emergency, we run to the crisis, not away from it. And on a night when we are thinking about the freedoms in the First Amendment, we must also think about how fragile they are… Thank God everybody’s safe and thank you for coming together tonight. We will do this again.”
Several Congress members, including Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., were seen leaving the event on foot.
Attacks on Trump and the press
The incident at the dinner is not isolated, as both President Trump and the press have been subjects of violence in recent times.
In 2024, during Trump’s reelection campaign, he narrowly escaped a bullet at a Pennsylvania rally, which wounded two attendees and claimed the life of Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief. The assailant was neutralized by a Secret Service sniper.
A separate 2024 incident involved a suspect with a semi-automatic rifle at Trump International in West Palm Beach. The suspect evaded capture initially but was subsequently arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Journalists have also been endangered, notably during the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot, where over a dozen journalists faced targeted assaults. The Freedom of the Press foundation recorded these incidents, including “murder the media” being carved into a doorway.
In 2018, a man sent pipe bombs to Trump critics, including CNN, resulting in a 20-year prison sentence.
Saturday’s venue, the Washington Hilton, has a notorious history, being the site where President Reagan was shot in 1981. The attack also wounded three others, notably press secretary James Brady, who later became an advocate for gun control. The White House Press Briefing Room is named in Brady’s honor.
Deepa Shivaram and Ryan Lucas contributed to this report.
Copyright 2026 NPR
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