Trump safe, suspect in custody after shooting at White House press dinner

By Kay Johnson, Neha Mustafi and Howard Goller 

^{Pic :REUTERS/Evan Vucci}

What's happening?

An armed man attempted a security breach at the White House Correspondents' ‌dinner

US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out

Shots were fired at a Secret Service agent; agent is fine

A suspect is in custody

What we know about the suspect

The man identifed as the shooter in a photo posted by Trump on Truth Social, April 25, 2026. Handout via REUTERS

A law enforcement official has identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a Los Angeles-area resident about 31 years of age.

Little was immediately known about Allen's background, but social media postings suggested he was a teacher in Torrance, California near Los Angeles.

Kanishka Singh

How the shooting unfolded

House Speaker Mike Johnson is rushed to safety, April 25, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Here is a timeline of the incident and its immediate aftermath:

Around 8:35 p.m. ET (0035 GMT on Sunday), guests at the Washington Hilton dinner took cover when shots were heard, video footage showed. Soon after, Secret Service agents rushed towards Trump, escorting the president and his cabinet from the ballroom.

A sole gunman had bolted through a Secret Service checkpoint in a lobby, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser and interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll later told reporters.

The suspect charged the Secret Service checkpoint in the hotel's lobby area and was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives, Carroll said. As the suspect ran through that checkpoint, Secret Service members intercepted him.

A Secret Service agent was injured and transported to a local hospital, the mayor said, adding the suspect was also transferred to a local hospital where he was evaluated.

"We do know that law enforcement exchanged gunfire with the individual. ... The suspect in this case, he was not struck by gunfire," Carroll said. "Law enforcement ... they actually tackled him into the ground and handcuffed him."

Around 10:30 p.m., Trump addressed the media in a press conference at the White House.