Shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner

On April 26, 2026, 31-year-old Cole Allen, a teacher from Torrance, California, opened fire at the Washington Hilton hotel during the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Approximately 2,500 guests, including President Donald Trump and government officials, were in attendance at the time of the event. Allen, who was a registered guest at the hotel, was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives. During the encounter, one police officer wearing a bulletproof vest was injured. Following his arrest, sources cited by CBS News reported that Allen stated he intended to shoot officials of the Trump administration. Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll confirmed that the suspect acted as a lone gunman, and there is no ongoing threat to the public. President Trump, who attended the event, initially mistook the gunfire for falling dishes before witnesses described scenes of panic inside the ballroom.