Heavily armed: Trump calls White House event shooter a lone wolf

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said the suspect behind the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner shooting was “heavily armed” and had charged a security checkpoint with multiple weapons before opening fire at a Secret Service agent, triggering a major security scare at the high-profile event. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington by Secret Service agents on Saturday night after a man opened fire on security personnel nearby.“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 said at the White House, describing the sequence of events.

Trump: shooter's 'very powerful gun' hits officer pic.twitter.com/qmJlhsuI3o

— RT (@RT_com) April 26, 2026

Washington interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said the suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives. He was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated but it was too soon to say what his motivation was. Based on preliminary information, he was believed to have been a guest at the hotel. Trump has shared footage of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting and a photo of the suspect.

BREAKING: President Trump has shared footage of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting and a photo of the suspect. pic.twitter.com/3H1M7hwKbj

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 26, 2026

Cole Thomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, has been identified by multiple media outlets as the suspect in custody following the Saturday shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, attended by US President Donald Trump and the first lady.Investigators say Allen was stopped at a security checkpoint before he could reach the ballroom where the president and roughly 2,500 guests were present.
According to the online profiles, Allen is a graduate of the California Institute of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2017. He later completed a Master's degree in Computer Science from California State University-Dominguez Hills.
Allen is also described as a self-employed indie game developer who created games such as "Bohrdom" and "First Law." Allen contributed $25 to a Democratic Party political action committee in support of Kamala Harris for president in 2024, according to federal campaign finance records.