Over the weekend, U.S. Secret Service agents apprehended a shooting suspect during the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD) in Washington, D.C., a drastic turn of events during President Donald Trump’s first-ever appearance at the gala.
According to the Associated Press (AP), Interim D.C. police chief Jeffrey Carroll said the suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was armed with a shotgun, handgun, and multiple knives.
Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage uploaded by President Trump on Truth Social shows the suspected gunman charging past a security checkpoint, prompting Secret Service officers to swarm him.
During the incident, Allen reportedly shot at a Secret Service Agent, according to sources who spoke with CBS News. A law enforcement official confirmed the agent’s stable condition, revealing that the round landed on the agent’s bullet-resistant vest.
Department of Justice Confirms Suspect's Arraignment
U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro confirmed that Allen would be arraigned on the Monday following the incident.
“Right now, the defendant is being charged with two counts 924(c) [18 U.S.C. § 924(c)], using a firearm during a crime of violence. And a second crime under 111 [18 U.S.C. § 111], which is assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon,” Pirro stated during a press conference following the incident.
“It is clear, based upon what we know so far, that this individual was intent on doing as much harm and as much damage as he could,” Pirro added.
WHCD Shooting Suspect's "Manifesto"
Cole Allen, of Torrance, California, reportedly sent an e-mail “manifesto” to his family stating that he planned to target Trump administration officials, “prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest,” according to a copy gathered by CBS News.
"Administration officials they are targets....I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes," Allen wrote, according to the CBS News "60 Minutes"Â interview with President Trump following the incident.
In the “manifesto,” Allen wrote a series of “rebuttals” to potential objections those reading his document might have.
"Turning the other cheek is for when you yourself are oppressed,” Allen wrote as a “rebuttal” to a hypothetical objection about his Christian faith and the biblical teaching to do so. "I don't expect forgiveness, but if I could have seen any other way to get this close, I would have taken it," he added, referencing the gala.
