Donald Trump and White House officials were evacuated from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner after an armed man opened fire. The suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, was arrested and charges are expected to be filed soon.
Key points
Donald Trump evacuated from White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Armed man opened fire at the event
Suspect identified as Cole Tomas Allen from California
Charges against the suspect are forthcoming
Trump has faced multiple security incidents
Mentioned in this story
Donald TrumpCole Tomas AllenWhite House
Donald Trump and top White House officials were evacuated from an annual media gala event after an armed man stormed the lobby and opened fire.
The suspect was arrested at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night at the Washington Hilton hotel and taken into custody. US media identified him as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance in California.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said charges would be filed shortly. It was not clear if the suspect was planning to target Trump.
The US president has been involved in various security-related incidents, including assassination attempts during his presidency and election campaigns.
Here is a timeline:
July 2024 – Trump shot at Pennsylvania rally
The US president was injured in a shooting at a campaign rally in Butler County on 14 July 2024, three months before he was elected president for a second term.
While Trump spoke to the crowd, at least five gunshots were heard around 6:15pm (22:15 GMT). He dropped down, while multiple US Secret Service agents rushed onto the stage to shield him.
Several minutes later, he was helped to his feet by the agents and escorted offstage to his motorcade, with blood visible on his right ear and smeared across his face.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 13: People watch television news at a bar in Milwaukee displaying images from a campaign rally for former U.S. President Donald Trump where he was apparently injured on July 13, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Details are unclear, but Secret Service quickly ushered Trump away while speaking at the Pennsylvania rally. Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by SPENCER PLATT / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Q&A
What happened at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner?
An armed man stormed the lobby and opened fire, prompting the evacuation of Donald Trump and top White House officials.
Who is the suspect arrested at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner?
The suspect is Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California.
What charges will be filed against the suspect in the shooting incident?
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that charges would be filed shortly, but specific details have not been disclosed.
Has Donald Trump faced other assassination attempts?
Yes, Donald Trump has been involved in various security-related incidents, including assassination attempts during his presidency and election campaigns.
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A bar in Milwaukee shows TV news coverage of the Trump shooting in July 2024 [File: Spencer Platt/Getty Images via AFP]
The Secret Service shot and killed the suspect within seconds of the gunfire. Before being taken away, he appeared to pump his fists and yell “Fight!” towards the crowd.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) later named the gunman as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
September 2024 – Second assassination attempt
On September 15, Trump was at his West Palm Springs resort in Florida when the incident occurred at about 2pm local time (18:00 GMT).
According to local media reports, Trump was moving between holes five and six at his golf course with his friend and now envoy Steve Witkoff when gunshots were heard. The course was quickly locked down.
Officials said a Secret Service agent spotted a gun barrel in some bushes near the edge of the course. Multiple officers fired at least four rounds at him. It was unclear if the suspect fired back at the agents.
The suspect was identified as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh.
Prosecutors said Routh had stayed in South Florida for about a month, and mobile phone records placed him in the vicinity of the golf course and Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
September 2025 – Off-duty policeman infiltrates Trump’s security team
Melvin Eng, an officer with the New York Police Department (NYPD), turned up at the Ryder Cup golf tournament at Bethpage Black Course in New York, armed and in full tactical gear, pretending to be part of Trump’s security detail, US media reported.
It was later discovered that Eng was on sick leave, had no official assignment to be part of the president’s detail and no assigned role at the event.
The incident reportedly led to Eng’s suspension, pending further investigation by the NYPD.
February 2026 – Gunman killed after crashing security perimeter at Trump home
A man carrying a gas can and shotgun was fatally shot by Secret Service agents after crashing his vehicle into the security perimeter of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
The president was in Washington at the time. Police identified the attacker as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin from North Carolina. His family had reported him missing and it is not clear what his motive was.
