WASHINGTON — An armed man charged through a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton on the night of April 25, 2026, disrupting the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner and forcing the evacuation of President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, senior administration officials, lawmakers, and hundreds of journalists.
The annual “Nerd Prom” had been underway for only a short time after the president and first lady arrived at about 8 p.m. when the incident began around 8:35–8:40 p.m. Federal authorities identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, a Caltech-trained engineer who had worked as a teacher and video-game developer. Officials said he was carrying a 12-gauge shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives.
Allen approached a magnetometer on the hotel’s Terrace Level, one floor above the ballroom. He discarded a coat that had concealed the shotgun and then sprinted through the checkpoint. Secret Service personnel reported hearing a gunshot. Officer Victor Gonzales was struck in the chest, but his ballistic vest stopped the round. He was treated and listed in stable condition.
Secret Service agents and other officers confronted Allen near a stairway leading toward the ballroom. After a struggle, they subdued him and took him into federal custody. Allen suffered minor injuries during the confrontation. Authorities said he never reached the crowded event space.
Security teams ordered a full evacuation and conducted a sweep of the hotel. Organizers briefly considered restarting the program, but the Correspondents’ Association ultimately canceled the remainder of the evening. The dinner was later rescheduled for July 24 at a different venue, with enhanced security screening.
Trump praised the Secret Service and other law-enforcement personnel for preventing what could have been a far more serious outcome and supported ending the event on safety grounds.
Investigators said Allen had traveled by train from Los Angeles through Chicago before checking into the Hilton. Authorities searched his California home and reviewed writings he had sent to family members shortly before the incident. In those writings, officials said, Allen described targeting administration officials “prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest.”
Authorities said they found no evidence of accomplices or a broader ongoing plot.
Allen was charged with attempting to assassinate the president and with related federal firearms offenses. He later pleaded not guilty and was ordered held pending trial.
The incident intensified scrutiny of security measures at high-profile political gatherings in Washington and prompted additional precautions for the rescheduled dinner, including airport-style screening. Officials have continued reviewing how an armed individual was able to get so close to one of the capital’s most closely guarded annual events.
