Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, has been identified as the alleged attacker at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, an event attended today by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The incident, occurring during the most prominent annual journalistic event in the United States, took place in the lobby of the Washington Hilton hotel. No injuries were reported among the more than two thousand attendees, a group that included the President's wife, Melania Trump, and several cabinet members.

Jeffrey Carroll, Acting Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, indicated that the motive of the alleged gunman remains unknown. However, he confirmed that the individual stormed the checkpoint wielding a shotgun and noted that the suspect had no known prior criminal record. Carroll clarified that the alleged shooter did not sustain any gunshot wounds and was transported to a hospital for evaluation. Furthermore, Carroll explained that, according to "preliminary information," the shooter was a guest at the hotel.

Trump was hastily evacuated by the Secret Service from the dinner, which he was attending for the first time as President of the United States. "What a night we've had in Washington D.C. The Secret Service and law enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. In a subsequent message, the occupant of the Oval Office stated that the dinner would be rescheduled within 30 days.

The Washington Hilton Hotel holds a historical precedent that is being recalled today: on March 30, 1981, it was the site of the assassination attempt perpetrated by John Hinckley Jr. against then-Republican President Ronald Reagan, an event that forced a comprehensive review of presidential security protocols.

This event adds to a series of security incidents involving Trump over the last two years. In July 2024, while still a presidential candidate, an assassination attempt left him with a minor injury to his ear. In September of that same year, Ryan Routh—now sentenced to life in prison—managed to access the perimeter of the Mar-a-Lago golf club while armed with a rifle, though he did not fire. Most recently, last February, another armed individual attempted to enter the Mar-a-Lago area but was lethally shot by the Secret Service.