# Gunfire at White House dinner forces Trump off stage, suspect arrested

> President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Vice President JD Vance were evacuated from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner after a gunman opened fire and tried to breach security. The suspect, a 31-year-old from…

Published: 2026-04-26 · Desk: Latest · Source: Al Jazeera

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.

Original reporting: https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/liveblog/2026/4/26/trump-live-us-president-safe-after-shots-fired-at-correspondents-dinner?fbclid=IwY2xjawRal_BleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFmSE9LdDczZ3JuRDdCMTBJc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHn6h0sQy59ZUsmseFKe5GzQhPcCfbuF8gSFf47HgzTP_dYUR-DWvlgHMM3jw_aem_3Bs_IXUQ9iIdvqncScvbwQ
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