President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Vice President JD Vance were quickly evacuated from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton on Saturday after a gunman fired shots and tried to breach security.
The suspect, identified by The New York Times and CBS News as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from California, reportedly stormed a Secret Service checkpoint at around 8:36 p.m. He was said to be carrying a shotgun, a handgun, and several knives.
No one in the President’s group, including the First Lady and Cabinet members, was injured. However, a law enforcement officer was struck in his bulletproof vest during an exchange of gunfire and is currently receiving treatment. The suspect was not shot and is being evaluated in a hospital.
Authorities believe he acted alone and may have entered the venue as a hotel guest. The dinner has been canceled and is expected to be rescheduled in 30 days. He has been charged with “using a firearm during a crime of violence” and “assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon,” with further charges possible. He is scheduled to appear in federal court on Monday.
