WASHINGTON (Reuters/AFP) – US President Donald Trump has released photo and video of suspected shooter at White House correspondents dinner.
Closed-circuit TV footage released by Trump on Truth Social showed someone running rapidly through a security checkpoint, momentarily catching security personnel off guard before they quickly drew their weapons.
Reuters was able to verify the location through the flooring and windows, which matched corroborating footage. The date was confirmed from a government statement of the incident. No old results were posted online before April 25. The FBI also confirmed that the National Capital Response Squad has responded to a shooting at the Washington Hilton and added that the subject is in custody.
Later, addressing a press conference, President Trump said “I guess” when asked whether he was the intended target of a man who charged a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents' Association annual dinner.
Armed guards opened fire at the gunman who charged through security screening just outside the ballroom of the hotel, where Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, many senior government officials and hundreds of other black-tie guests had gathered.
"A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, and he was taken down by some very brave members of the Secret Service," Trump told a press conference at the White House shortly after the incident.
"They seem to think he was a lone wolf, and I feel that too," he said, after posting video of the gunman sprinting past security as guards drew their weapons and opened fire. The man was detained at the scene.
Trump said one officer was shot at close range but appeared to not be seriously injured. He added that the venue was "not a particularly secure" facility as questions swirled about the president's safety after repeated security lapses.
Trump said at a hastily arranged news conference at the White House that he first thought the noise was a tray being dropped before he realized it was gunfire, and he described the suspect as a "would-be assassin."
He said he planned to re-schedule the media gala within a month despite the security scare.
Trump was the target of an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania in 2024. A gunman fired several shots, killing a rally goer and lightly wounding the president in the ear.
A few months later, another man was arrested after a Secret Service agent saw the barrel of a rifle poking from the bushes on the perimeter of the West Palm Beach golf course where Trump was playing a round.
The Washington Hilton where Saturday's gala was taking place was the site where Republican President Ronald Reagan was shot by a would-be assassin in 1981.
Organisers at first told guests that the dinner would continue, before announcing it had been postponed.
The White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) invited Trump this year despite his repeated attacks on the media.
The "Nerd Prom" – as attendees dub it – brings together hundreds of Washington journalists and media executives to raise funds for scholarships and awards.
The event often has a comedian joking about the president, who traditionally gets his own back with some jokes, though no comedian was booked this year.
Unlike all other presidents from the past 100 years, Trump had never attended while in office.
ATTACKER IDENTIFIED
The agencies have identified the suspect as a California resident, a university graduate, and a schoolteacher.
The attacker has been identified as 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen. He is a graduate of the California Institute of Technology and works as a teacher. He was also named “Teacher of the Month” in December 2024.
According to police, the attacker was armed with a shotgun, a pistol, and several knives.
Reports indicate that the suspect attempted to carry out the attack at around 8:30 pm at a security checkpoint. At the time of the incident, President Trump was present in the ballroom.
Authorities said security teams have reached the suspect’s residence in California.
The US Attorney General stated that the suspect will be presented in court on Monday and will face two charges. He has been shifted to a hospital for medical treatment.