Gunman fires at White House Correspondents Dinner checkpoint Trump Vance and cabinet evacuated

At approximately 8:36 p.m. EDT on April 25, 2026, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, rushes a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton armed with a shotgun, handgun, and knives while the 2026 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner is underway in the hotel's main ballroom. Allen fires at least one shot before being chased and apprehended. He had traveled by Amtrak train from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., and checked into the hotel the day before. Minutes before the attack, Allen sends family members a note apologizing for what he is about to do. Writings attributed to Allen criticize Trump administration policies, refer to himself as the "Friendly Federal Assassin," and state his intention to target administration officials. A Secret Service officer is struck in a bullet-resistant vest and is expected to recover. No other attendees are injured. President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and cabinet members are safely evacuated from the head table. It is the first White House Correspondents' Dinner Trump attends as a sitting president. Roughly 2,600 guests are present. Allen faces charges of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer.