A gunman who tried to storm a Washington gala dinner attended by the U.S. president planned to target senior administration officials, according to the acting U.S. attorney general.
The suspect was detained after an exchange of gunfire at the Washington Hilton, where the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner was taking place. He was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and knives, and is expected to be formally charged in federal court on Monday, April 26th.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said investigators believe the man was targeting members of the administration, although his motive remains unclear.
Footage released by Trump showed the suspect attempting to run past a security checkpoint before being stopped by armed guards. Witnesses described chaotic scenes inside the ballroom, where attendees—including Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and other senior officials—took cover as Secret Service agents secured the venue.
Authorities said the suspect had travelled by train from Los Angeles to Washington via Chicago and had purchased the weapons in recent years. U.S. media identified him as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from California. Investigators are also searching a property linked to him in Torrance, near Los Angeles.
Trump said he believed the attacker was likely a “lone wolf” and questioned the security of the venue, which has hosted high-profile events for decades. The incident comes less than two years after a failed assassination attempt against Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania renewing concerns over the safety of political leaders in the United States.
