EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Armed suspect Cole Tomas Allen shot a Secret Service agent after rushing a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton during an annual gala.
WASHINGTON — The White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner was abruptly thrown into chaos on April 25, 2026, after an armed man allegedly rushed through a federal security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton and opened fire during an encounter with U.S. Secret Service personnel.
The incident prompted the rapid evacuation of President Donald Trump and other senior government officials as law-enforcement officers moved to secure the hotel and contain the threat.