Shooter Opens Fire at Reception with Trump and Other US Top Officials
A shooting occurred at the White House Correspondents' Association gala reception at the Washington Hilton hotel. US President Donald Trump, the First Lady, and key ministers were present at the event. The President and his entourage were unharmed; the attacker has been apprehended.
Secret Service agents evacuate Donald Trump from the stage after shots were fired. Washington, April 25, 2026. Photo: AP Photo / Mark Schiefelbein
Shots rang out at the height of the evening. According to eyewitnesses, panic erupted in the hall: dinner attendees hid under tables, while Secret Service agents, weapons in hand, ensured the evacuation of top officials. Among those urgently escorted out of the hall were President Donald Trump and Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.
One Secret Service agent was hit by a bullet during the shooter's attack, but his bulletproof vest saved him.
The suspect was apprehended at the scene. According to preliminary data, this is Cole Thomas Allen, a 31-year-old teacher from California. According to the police, he was armed with a shotgun, a pistol, and several knives.
Photo of the apprehended attacker published by Donald Trump on his social media
Donald Trump has already commented on the incident, calling the attacker "a very sick person" and a "lone killer." He highly praised the actions of the special services, calling their work "fantastic."
The event where the incident occurred has been postponed for at least a month. Trump stated that although he himself "desperately wanted to stay," security protocol required him to leave the building because there was no certainty that the threat had been neutralized.
The shooter's motives remain unknown for now.
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