President Donald Trump was rescued by Secret Service agents after gunshots disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington on Saturday night.
Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the venue after a man opened fire on security personnel near the event.
The man fired a shotgun at a Secret Service agent at a checkpoint inside the Washington Hilton hotel before he was tackled and arrested. Trump later told reporters at the White House that the officer was saved by his bulletproof vest and is in “good shape.”
It was not immediately clear whether Trump was the target, though he told reporters he believed he was. The incident comes after two previous attempts on his life since 2024.
A law enforcement official identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old resident of the Los Angeles area. Little was known about him, though social media posts suggested he worked as a teacher in Torrance, California.
Washington interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said the suspect was carrying a shotgun, a handgun and several knives. He was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, while authorities said it was too early to determine his motive.
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Carroll added that preliminary findings suggested the suspect had been a guest at the hotel. Investigators are expected to focus on how he was able to bring weapons into the venue, which hosts the annual dinner attended by top government officials and media figures.
The black-tie event had drawn members of Trump’s cabinet and other senior officials. It was his first time attending as president after skipping the event in previous years.
After the incident, Trump addressed reporters in a late-night briefing at the White House, flanked by cabinet members and Vice President JD Vance, while Melania looked on.
The venue has a history of violence. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded outside the same hotel in an assassination attempt.
Video footage from the scene showed a commotion at the back of the ballroom after gunshots were heard, prompting guests to take cover. Many of the attendees hid under tables as security agents drew their weapons and moved to protect officials.
Security personnel later moved Trump, his wife and Vance off the stage, while other guests were escorted out.
Closed-circuit footage released by Trump showed the suspect running through a checkpoint before being stopped.
“You know, he charged from 50 yards away, so he was very far away from the room. He was moving. He was really moving,” Trump said after the dinner was cancelled.
Officials believe the suspect acted alone, Trump said.
Trump remained backstage for about an hour before leaving. He later said he had not wanted to leave the event, echoing his reaction after surviving a previous attack in 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania.
In that incident, he was shot in the ear by a gunman who was later killed by security personnel. A separate attempt was also foiled months later at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, where an armed suspect was arrested and later sentenced to life in prison.