Shortly after 8:30 p.m. on April 25, 2026, Cole Allen, 31, attempted to enter the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel armed with a shotgun and other weapons but was apprehended by federal law enforcement within seven seconds, sources told CBS News.
Allen reportedly descended from his tenth-floor hotel room via an interior stairwell and reached an elevator bank on the terrace level. There, out of view from security cameras, he removed a jacket concealing a shotgun. Law enforcement later recovered the jacket at the scene.
A U.S. Secret Service K-9 unit exited a nearby security checkpoint through double doors, followed two seconds later by Allen. He immediately turned left and sprinted through a magnetometer that security personnel had been dismantling. Two seconds after that, gunfire erupted. According to Secret Service Director Sean Curran, Allen shot at a uniformed officer, who returned fire despite being hit at point-blank range in the chest with buckshot.
The confrontation ended quickly, with Allen falling between the checkpoint and a stairway leading to the ballroom where approximately 2,600 dinner guests, including President Trump, were gathered. The suspect reportedly struck his knee on a magnetometer box as he fell. Officers handcuffed him and removed a tactical vest, finding multiple knives and a handgun in addition to the shotgun according to court documents.
The Secret Service officer sustained bruising but was protected by his vest. Allen was not hit by gunfire and no other injuries were reported. The distance from the checkpoint to the ballroom staircase was about 40 feet, and the path to reach the podium inside extended nearly 355 feet, passing two sets of steps. More than 30 federal protective agents were assigned to the event.
Allen faces charges including attempted assassination of the president, transporting a firearm with intent to commit a felony, and discharging a firearm during a violent crime. He has not entered a plea.
Speaking about the incident, President Trump compared Allen’s swift encounter with law enforcement to a speedy NFL running back and acknowledged the complex security challenges at the Washington Hilton, the traditional venue for the dinner.
Why it matters
The rapid response by law enforcement prevented a potentially catastrophic attack on a high-profile event attended by the president and thousands of journalists and guests. This incident highlights ongoing challenges in securing large public gatherings against armed threats, especially in venues not originally designed for maximum security.
Background
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is an annual event attended by the president, press corps, and political figures. Security measures typically involve multiple federal agencies, including the Secret Service, due to the presence of the president and high-profile guests. This attempted attack is a rare breach of what is normally a highly secured evening.
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Sources
This article is based on reporting and publicly available information from the following source: