By Faris Tanyos
April 26, 2026 / 1:54 AM EDT / CBS News
Law enforcement identified the suspect who opened fire outside the ballroom at the Washington Hilton where President Trump and other officials were attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner as 31-year-old Cole Allen of Torrance, California. The president and first lady Melania Trump were safely evacuated, and authorities said none of the attendees were seriously injured.
A Secret Service agent was struck by at least one round but was wearing a bulletproof vest and is expected to be OK, officials said. Two sources told CBS News that after his arrest the suspect said he wanted to shoot Trump administration officials.
Authorities said a total of at least five to eight gunshots were fired. Jeff Carroll, interim chief of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, said the suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives when he attempted to charge a security checkpoint outside the dinner. President Trump posted a photo on social media showing the shirtless suspect on the floor with his arms tied behind his back after being detained.
The suspect was not struck by gunfire but was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Carroll said the suspect was a hotel guest and that, at this point, it appears he acted alone, though the investigation is ongoing. President Trump also told reporters the suspect was believed to be a “lone wolf.”
Allen worked for a Torrance tutoring firm, C2 Education, and received a “Teacher of the Month” award from the company in December 2024, two law enforcement sources confirmed. The California Institute of Technology confirmed Allen graduated from Caltech in 2017. Federal and local authorities were seen late Saturday night at a home in Torrance believed to be the suspect’s.
U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro announced Allen will be charged with one count each of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, and she said she expects additional charges as the investigation continues. “It is clear, based upon what we know so far, that this individual was intent on doing as much harm and as much damage as he could,” Pirro said. She said he will be arraigned Monday in federal court.
Pat Milton, Jennifer Jacobs, Nicole Sganga and Melissa Quinn contributed to this report.