White House Correspondents Dinner Shooting: President Trump Safely Evacuated, Perpetrator Arrested

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - On the evening of April 25, 2026, tension gripped the Washington Hilton Hotel when a shooting occurred near the main security screening area for the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

This incident triggered chaos and a swift response from the U.S. Secret Service, which immediately evacuated President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump from the event.

The incident, which happened at approximately 8:36 PM EDT, disrupted the annual dinner attended by dignitaries, cabinet members, and journalists.

The sound of gunfire caused guests to take cover under tables, while security officers shouted "shots fired" to warn of imminent danger.

Vice President J.D. Vance and several other senior officials were also evacuated during the emergency.

As dinner was being served in the main ballroom, a suspect was confronted by security officers near the main metal detector screening area of ​​the Washington Hilton Hotel.

The suspect then breached the security checkpoint and fired at least one shot.Several US Secret Service agents shouted "shots fired" inside the venue, sparking panic.

Video from inside the ballroom showed Secret Service agents quickly securing guests on the main stage, including the President and First Lady.

Guests took cover under tables as gunshots rang out, creating a chaotic scene.

The suspect was chased down and later apprehended by security officers.

The shooter was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from Torrance, California.

Allen is a teacher in Torrance and a 2017 graduate of the California Institute of Technology with a degree in mechanical engineering.

He was apprehended near the magnetometer screening area outside the banquet hall, indicating that he failed to enter the main ballroom of the event.

Officers seized a Mossberg Maverick 88 12-gauge shotgun, an Armscor Precision .38-caliber semi-automatic pistol, and several knives from the suspect.

Cole Tomas Allen's motive remains under investigation by authorities.

However, law enforcement sources report that the suspect confessed to targeting US government officials.

While Allen did not specifically name President Trump as a target, the Department of Justice announced that "preliminary findings" indicate Trump was the intended target.

Writings attributed to Allen criticized Trump administration policies and referred to him as a "Friendly Federal Assassin."

“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Attorney General Todd Blanchetold NBC’s “Meet the Press.”