Attendees, including U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, took cover at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday night after a loud noise and reports of gunfire, according to video from the scene.
Trump and the first lady were rushed out by Secret Service agents as the Washington Hilton ballroom descended into chaos. Trump was reported uninjured, and there were no immediate reports of injuries among the roughly 2,600 attendees. Authorities said the suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from California, was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and several knives.
Donald Trump at White House press conference | Live
Footage from the moment of the shooting outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
(Video: Truth)
Evacuation moment at White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington after shooting
(Video: X)
The suspect fired at a Secret Service agent — who was struck in protective gear and not harmed — after charging and breaching a screening checkpoint in the hotel lobby, prompting agents to stop him and an exchange of fire. Trump later said, “Incident won’t deter me from win in Iran war.”
“Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and law enforcement did a fantastic job,” he added.
The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the Washington Hilton banquet hall as hundreds of guests ducked under tables. Some in the crowd reported hearing between five and eight shots fired, while one law enforcement official said a shooter had opened fire. No further details were immediately available.
5 View gallery
House Speaker Mike Johnson is evacuated from the hall by Secret Service agents
(Photo: Reuters)
Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out by Secret Service agents, along with other administration officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. House Speaker Mike Johnson was also evacuated.
Members of the National Guard took up positions inside the building as guests were allowed to leave but not re-enter. Security outside the hotel was tightened significantly.
Video from the scene showed panic inside the ballroom, with attendees taking cover and staff fleeing toward the front of the hall. Shortly before being escorted from the stage, the first lady appeared to react to something in the crowd and looked concerned, according to a live feed from C-SPAN.
It was not immediately clear what prompted the shooting or the earlier loud noise that disrupted the event. The incident occurred during Trump’s first attendance at the annual dinner as president, an event that traditionally brings together journalists, government officials and public figures.
First published: 04:00, 04.26.26