Armed Man Rushed White House Correspondents' Dinner Security, Exchanged Gunfire With Law Enforcement

An armed man, identified as Cole Allen, allegedly rushed through a security checkpoint and exchanged gunfire with law enforcement at the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night.

The suspect was apprehended at the scene and is expected to be arraigned on Monday. One law enforcement agent sustained a non-serious injury. All attendees, including Trump administration officials and lawmakers, were safely evacuated. No injuries were reported among the guests.

Following the incident, President Donald Trump, attending his first White House Correspondents' Dinner as president, requested that the event be rescheduled. The dinner was ultimately canceled as law enforcement declared the venue an active crime scene.

Authorities stated that the suspected shooter was likely targeting Trump administration officials. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on CNN's "State of the Union" that while the motive is still under investigation, "it does appear the suspect was targeting members of the administration." Blanche clarified that it remains unclear if specific individuals were targeted, but the "goal and his target" was the administration.

Allen, a resident of Torrance, California, traveled from Los Angeles to Chicago and then to Washington D.C. by train. He had checked into the Washington Hilton, the venue for the dinner, on Friday.

Blanche noted that the suspect is not cooperating with authorities, and information has been gathered "from other means," including interviews with people who knew him and evidence collected from the scene.

Allen was reportedly a teacher at C2 Education, a company specializing in tutoring, test preparation, and college admissions counseling. C2 Education issued a statement expressing shock and pledging full cooperation with law enforcement, stating, "Violence of any kind is never the answer."

His LinkedIn profile indicated he held a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology and a master's degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

According to reports, Allen allegedly wrote a detailed letter outlining his plans, parts of which were obtained by the New York Post. In the letter, Allen reportedly referred to himself as the "friendly federal assassin" and stated he was "no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes." The letter also allegedly mentioned that the security at the event and the Washington Hilton was less robust than he had anticipated, a sentiment echoed by some attendees and officials.

The incident is being described as the third attempt on Trump's life since 2024, and oversight briefings are expected on Capitol Hill in response. A spokesperson for Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, confirmed that the U.S. Secret Service is scheduling a bipartisan briefing on security protocols and law enforcement matters related to the event.

Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi stated that the suspect's brother had contacted the New London, Connecticut, police department about the letters Allen had written. This information was then relayed to the Secret Service, who became aware of the letters between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Blanche indicated on Sunday that there was no indication Allen was previously on law enforcement's radar, and investigations are ongoing to determine what, if anything, was known about him prior to the incident.

Allen had purchased the two firearms he carried within the past two years and also had knives on his person. Despite the apparent security breach and observations of lax security, Blanche expressed confidence in the Secret Service's actions, stating Allen "barely got past the perimeter, he was immediately subdued." He emphasized that law enforcement performed their duties as trained.

CNBC's Ryan Ruggiero contributed to this report. A correction was issued regarding the misstatement of Senator Chuck Grassley's role in an earlier version.