A Secret Service agent survived a close-range gunshot this Saturday during the Annual White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington D.C., thanks to his bulletproof vest absorbing the impact.
Donald Trump confirmed the incident at a press conference early Sunday morning: "A man charged at a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons and was neutralized by very brave members of the Secret Service."
The suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 30 years old and a resident of Torrance, California, attempted to breach the hotel’s magnetometer area around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, armed with guns and knives, and fired approximately four or five shots before being subdued and arrested.
Trump described the seriousness of the attack on the injured agent: "He was shot from very close range with a very powerful weapon. The vest did its job."
The official stated that he spoke personally with the agent after the incident: "He is in excellent shape and is very much in good spirits. We told him that we care about him and respect him. He is a very proud guy about what he does. A Secret Service agent."
Trump, the First Lady Melania Trump, and Vice President JD Vance were safely evacuated from the venue after the gunfire.
The president also ordered the publication of a video of the incident on Truth Social and other platforms, stating that it was done "for reasons of transparency and clarity," describing the attacker as "a bully who attacked our Constitution."
About 2,600 people attended the event, including government officials, Congress members, diplomats, and journalists. The acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that "multiple charges" would be brought against Allen, including the use of a firearm during a violent crime and assaulting a federal officer. Federal prosecutor Jeanine Pirro also mentioned charges for assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon.
Federal agents executed a search warrant at the suspect's home in Torrance. The motive for the attack had not been clarified at that time.
The incident occurred during Trump's first attendance as acting president at the Correspondents' Dinner, breaking a boycott that lasted throughout his first term from 2017 to 2021, and also in 2025.
The investigation was handled by the Secret Service, the FBI, and the Metropolitan Police of Washington D.C. Trump announced that the event would be rescheduled in 30 days and urged Americans to "resolve their differences."
Filed under: