- Trump and Melania evacuated after gunfire near Washington media dinner
- Suspect armed with shotgun, handgun and knives arrested at hotel checkpoint
- Secret Service agent injured but released from hospital
- Security concerns raised ahead of King Charles's US visit
PRESIDENT Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington on Saturday night after a man opened fire on security personnel nearby.
The man fired a shotgun at a Secret Service agent at a checkpoint in the Washington Hilton hotel before being tackled and arrested. Trump later told reporters at a briefing at the White House that the officer was saved by his bulletproof vest and was in “good shape”. US Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi confirmed the officer had been released from hospital.
It was not immediately clear whether Trump was the target of the attack, though he told reporters he believed that he was. The president has survived two previous attempts on his life since 2024.
A law enforcement official identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a California resident about 31 years old. Little was immediately known about his background, though social media postings suggested he was a teacher in Torrance, near Los Angeles.
Washington interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said the suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives. He was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated, and it was too soon to say what his motivation was. Based on preliminary information, he was believed to have been a guest at the hotel.
Cole Tomas Allen, a suspect in the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, lies on the floor after being detained by law enforcement personnel.Reuters
The incident took place around 8:35 p.m., raising questions about the security of top US officials gathered in the hotel ballroom. Investigators are expected to examine how the gunman brought a shotgun into the venue, which hosts the annual dinner attended by senior administration officials.
Trump later addressed reporters in the White House briefing room alongside Vice President JD Vance and cabinet members. Melania Trump stood nearby and declined to speak when asked.
Closed-circuit TV footage released by Trump showed the suspect running through a security checkpoint before being subdued. No shots were fired at the gunman, who passed through two checkpoints before being brought down.
“You know, he charged from 50 yards away, so he was very far away from the room. He was moving. He was really moving,” Trump said after the gala dinner was cancelled. He added that officials believed the suspect was a “lone wolf”.
Video from inside the venue showed Trump and his wife seated on stage when gunfire triggered panic in the ballroom. People shouted “Get down, get down!” as many of the 2,600 attendees took cover under tables. Security personnel drew their weapons, pushed cabinet members to the floor and formed a protective cordon.
Armed personnel entered the stage area as Trump, his wife and Vance were evacuated. Cabinet members were escorted out one by one. Some attendees began chanting “USA, USA!” while others remained under tables.
Trump stayed backstage for about an hour after being moved from the stage, according to a source. He later said he had not wanted to leave the event.
The venue was also the site of the 1981 shooting of President Ronald Reagan.
In 2024, Trump was shot and wounded in the upper ear during an attack in Butler, Pennsylvania, where the gunman was killed. Just over two months later, another incident at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, was deemed an assassination attempt, and the suspect was sentenced to life in prison in February.
Reacting to the incident, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “shocked” and added it was “a huge relief” that Trump and others were unharmed.
“Any attack on democratic institutions or on the freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms,” Starmer said on X.
Senior minister Darren Jones said Starmer had sent a message to Trump “in solidarity for the events that took place”.
The shooting came less than 48 hours before King Charles is due to visit the US for a state visit with Queen Camilla. The visit includes stops in Washington and New York, where they are scheduled to meet Trump and attend a state dinner.
Jones said security teams in Britain and the US were “working closely to ensure the security arrangements are appropriately put in place”.
“As you would imagine, the government and the palace take the security of His Majesty very seriously, and there were already extensive discussions taking place, which will continue over the coming days,” he told Sky News.
(With inputs from agencies)
