It was just after 8.30pm in Washington and the waiters had just started serving the appetizer of peas and burrata at the correspondents’ dinner when four, perhaps six, shots rang out in the lobby of the Hilton Hotel where the annual event was taking place.
The men of the Secret Service rushed away from the stage President Donald Trump, who was attending the dinner for the first time as president, and his deputy JD Vance, in opposite directions as required by emergency protocol.
At the same time, while many of the 2,600 journalists present threw themselves under tables or hid behind columns, officers armed with assault rifles went into action to protect the president’s exit from the scene. The attacker was immediately blocked by the security device and shot by an officer. Another agent was injured, but will survive thanks to the protection afforded by his bulletproof vest.
The perpetrator of the shooting: a 31-year-old from California
The perpetrator of the shooting was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California. He is a teacher who also describes himself on his Linkedin profile as a “mechanical and computer engineer by qualifications” and an “independent video game developer by experience”. A photo on social media shows him awarded as ‘teacher of the month’. He will appear in Federal District Court tomorrow and be charged with using a firearm during a violent crime and assaulting a federal agent, District of Columbia Attorney Jeanine Pirro said, but added that additional charges may follow.
Trump: “Allen a lone wolf who wanted to kill”
Trump appeared before reporters from the White House press room shortly after the attack, still dressed in his tuxedo. The attacker was reportedly “a lone wolf” who “wanted to kill.” He said Allen was armed with several weapons and that he stormed a security checkpoint before being arrested. He had with him a shotgun, a pistol and some knives.
Overnight the FBI searched his home in California in search of further evidence. The real intention of the attacker is still uncertain. According to CBS, the man said he was aiming to target “government officials.” For the deputy director of the Secret Service, Matthew Quinn, he wanted to “generate a national tragedy.”
The tycoon spoke to journalists in an unusually calm manner but the incident caused shock among correspondents and residents of the American capital. The correspondent of La Stampa, Alberto Simoni, who was a few meters from the accident, told ANSA that at the sound of the shots “people threw themselves under the tables or behind the columns looking for shelter” in panic. CNN veteran Wolf Blitzer, also a few meters from the shooter, was saved by a Secret Service agent who threw him to the ground.
Trump, the victim of an attempted assassination during a 2024 campaign event in Pennsylvania, asked Americans “to resolve our differences pacificamente”https://gazzettadelsud.it/articoli/mondo/2026/04/26/spari-allhilton-di-washington-durante-la-cena-dei-corrispondenti-paura-a-pochi-metri-da-trump-2c53b50b-0263-4773-af62-06e4f3fa2068/.”It is not the first time in the last couple of years that Republicans have been attacked or killed. In light of this evening, I ask Americans to resolve their differences peacefully. This applies to Republicans, Democrats, independents, progressives,” he said, also referring to the murder of the leader of the right-wing Turning Point movement, Charlie Kirk. The widow, Erica, was at the gala and, understandably, was shocked by the shooting. “I just want to leave,” the woman reportedly told a CNN reporter after the incident.
“The attacker said he wanted to target Trump government officials”
What the FBI and the Washington police will now have to establish is how it was possible that a man armed to the teeth managed to enter an event at which not only the commander-in-chief but also half the government was present. For Trump the location of the gala “is not particularly safe”.
FBI and police agents went to a home in Torrance, California, believed to be linked to the arrested man, Cole Thomas Allen. Various media outlets report this, including CNN and the Los Angeles Times, reporting that a search of the house is planned.
Allen allegedly said he was aiming to target “government officials”: this is what CBS News reports, citing two sources familiar with the investigation. In a statement, the deputy director of the Secret Service, Matthew Quinn, defined the incident as “a coward’s attempt to generate a national tragedy.” Quinn added that the suspect, who was arrested, “underestimated the protection capabilities of the Secret Service and was apprehended upon first contact.”
The reactions and solidarity towards Trump and the USA
“I would like to express my full solidarity and most sincere closeness to President Trump, First Lady Melania, Vice President Vance and all those present for what happened at last night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner. No political hatred can find space in our democracies. We will not allow fanaticism to poison the places of free debate and information. The defense of the civilization of discussion must remain the insurmountable barrier against any intolerant drift, to protect the values that found our Nations.” Thus Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on X.
“The armed attack against the President of the United States last night is unacceptable. Violence has no place in a democracy. I express my full support for Donald Trump.” French President Emmanuel Macron writes this on X.
The British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said he was “shocked by the scenes at the White House correspondents’ dinner in Washington”, expressing on safe”https://gazzettadelsud.it/articoli/mondo/2026/04/26/spari-allhilton-di-washington-durante-la-cena-dei-corrispondenti-paura-a-pochi-metri-da-trump-2c53b50b-0263-4773-af62-06e4f3fa2068/.”Any attack on democratic institutions or freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms”, his post further reads.
“I am relieved to know that Donald and Melania Trump, as well as all those attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, are well. Violence has never had a place in politics. I thank the police and emergency response forces for acting promptly and ensuring the safety of guests.” The president of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen writes it in X.
“I am relieved that everyone present, including President Trump, is safe after the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Political violence has no place in a democracy. An event designed to pay homage to the freedom of the press should never turn into a place of fear. I wish the injured officer a speedy recovery,” EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Kaja Kallas wrote in X.
“We condemn the aggression that occurred against President Donald Trump. Violence is never the solution. Humanity can only progress through democracy, coexistence and peace.” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez writes this on X.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “shocked” by the “attempted assassination” of the president. “We are relieved that the president and first lady are safe and in good health. We send our best wishes for a full and speedy recovery to the injured police officer and pay tribute to the United States Secret Service for their quick and decisive action,” reads a post by Netanyahu on X, in which the Israeli prime minister speaks on behalf of himself and his wife Sara Netanyahu.
“Deeply shocked by the horrific shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington. I am relieved to know that President Trump, the first lady, and other attendees are safe. My thoughts and prayers are with him, and I wish him continued health and well.” Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, writes this on X.