DC-Shooting at White House Correspondents Dinner, April 25, 2026

[NuttMegg]

It was not immediately released when the suspect checked into the hotel. Security camera footage released by Trump to social media shortly after the incident shows the gunman running past security officers who appear to be disassembling the metal detectors. Once the president was seated in the ballroom, additional attendees were not permitted to enter the secured area, which is why they were taking them down.

“It shows that our multi-layered protection works,” Secret Service director Sean Curran said. His comments were echoed by Carroll, who said the security plan for the evening was developed by the Secret Service and “that security plan did work this evening.”

Here's what we know about security measures at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner

Officials say the suspect in the White House Correspondents' Association dinner shooting was believed to be a hotel guest.

apnews.com

Just because no one important was injured doesn't mean the security plan "did work". Hard to wash out of my mind the sight of security personnel streaking across the ballroom from one table top to another.

 

[NuttMegg]

It’s disturbing that hotels allow guests to check in with numerous weapons, etc. It would be great if travelers and event guests could choose hotels that don’t allow such weapons on the premises.

N/K

 

[Elley Mae]

White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen admits he was targeting Trump officials: report

White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen admits he was targeting Trump officials: report

Allen, a teacher from Torrance, Calif., was identified by sources as the suspect accused of rushing a security checkpoint armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives before he was subdued.

nypost.com

…

Hoping that’s a life sentence.

Jmo

 

[wvmoonangel]

doesn't security have metal detectors at the entrance(s) to an event like this? invitation only?

From what I have read this morning the shooter was a registered guest at the Hotel.

 

[Jessica_Lovejoy]

Typical NY Post sensationalism. Whatever happened did not happen in the ballroom where guests and officials were. None were hurt. My spouse, parents, and kids and I were all watching the whole thing go down in CSPAN.

This was wild.

 

[indicolite22]

White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen admits he was targeting Trump officials: report

White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen admits he was targeting Trump officials: report

Allen, a teacher from Torrance, Calif., was identified by sources as the suspect accused of rushing a security checkpoint armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives before he was subdued.

nypost.com

…

Hoping that’s a life sentence.

Jmo

It looks like a security flaw. From the link:

A volunteer told The Post that they saw him assemble a long weapon “in [an] unsecured room” before making a mad dash towards the ballroom.

The witness, Helen Mabus, a volunteer working the event who said she is from Harrisburg, Pa., described a “makeshift room” near the entrance where bar carts were being stored and where “there was no security” at the time.

“He was in that room […] he grabbed it out of a bag or something,” Mabus said, adding that the weapon “was long” and “didn’t look like a typical gun.”

 

[Betty P]

From what I have read this morning the shooter was a registered guest at the Hotel.

It reminds me of the mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017, when Stephen Paddock was allowed to bring in multiple assault weapons and thousands of rounds of ammo.

2017 Las Vegas shooting - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Meanwhile...

The FBI and LE are searching the home of the killer. This should be a free link

Federal authorities swarm the suspect’s home in an L.A. suburb.

It was not clear if the authorities had entered the home in Torrance, Calif., a white-collar city of about 150,000 people close to popular beaches.

www.nytimes.com

Live Updates: Investigators Search for Motive in Shooting at Washington Dinner Where Trump Was Evacuated

www.nytimes.com

 

[NuttMegg]

It looks like a security flaw. From the link:

A volunteer told The Post that they saw him assemble a long weapon “in [an] unsecured room” before making a mad dash towards the ballroom.

I know, right? What if he had used the "unsecured room" to quickly assemble an explosive that he could hurl or propel. If there was no particular security for hotel guests, who knows what he could have casually carried into his room and back out of it. This is ridiculous

 

[Warwick1991]

It’s disturbing that hotels allow guests to check in with numerous weapons, etc. It would be great if travelers and event guests could choose hotels that don’t allow such weapons on the premises.

My guess is that weapons were well concealed in some kind of case that didn't look like a gun case. The long gun was apparently broken down and assembled in a public area, if the media descriptions are correct. That would mean he wouldn't have been carrying a telltale long case. I don't think the hotel staff knew the weapons were there.

 

[Betty P]

My guess is that weapons were well concealed in some kind of case that didn't look like a gun case. The long gun was apparently broken down and assembled in a public area, if the media descriptions are correct. That would mean he wouldn't have been carrying a telltale long case. I don't think the hotel staff knew the weapons were there

Magnetometers for guests? Maybe so.

ETA: Now Trump's message is: "This is why we need the new ballroom". How about fewer galas and parties?

I wonder if King Charles will cancel his upcoming visit? I wouldn't blame him if he did.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Thanks for the clarification. So the shooter did not get near the room where the event was held. I'm sure access to the room was very secure despite the gunman being able to breach that outer checkpoint. No one was killed, not even the gunman. Kudos to the security personnel.

Sorry, to be clear my kudos is in regards to security personnel not killing people. Like they have training or something. Not in regards to the breach or mayhem.

 

[Betty P]

White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen admits he was targeting Trump officials: report

White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen admits he was targeting Trump officials: report

Allen, a teacher from Torrance, Calif., was identified by sources as the suspect accused of rushing a security checkpoint armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives before he was subdued.

nypost.com

…

Hoping that’s a life sentence.

Jmo

So now it's changed from "targeting Trump" to "targeting Trump officials".

 

[NuttMegg]

Magnetometers for guests? Maybe so.

ETA: Now Trump's message is: "This is why we need the new ballroom". How about fewer galas and parties?

I wonder if King Charles will cancel his upcoming visit? I wouldn't blame him if he did.

Now the new ballroom will be rented out?

The WHCD is supposed to be the night to celebrate the first amendment.

What hoops would they have to go through to rent the WH ballroom?

Anyway there will never be a WHCD to equal 2012.

 

[indicolite22]

How do they know what exactly his intent was if he's not cooperating?

Blanche added that the suspect is not actively cooperating with authorities.

Allen purchased the shotgun he used to open fire in last night's attack in August 2025, according to two law enforcement sources, CBS News reported. He also owned another semiautomatic pistol, purchased in 2023, they said.

WHCD shooting suspect confesses to targeting 'administration officials'

Cole Allen, the suspect, did not specifically say he was targeting President Donald Trump, a law enforcement source told a major outlet, but just "administration officials."

www.themirror.com

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Magnetometers for guests? Maybe so.

ETA: Now Trump's message is: "This is why we need the new ballroom". How about fewer galas and parties?

I wonder if King Charles will cancel his upcoming visit? I wouldn't blame him if he did.

He should call it off for myriad reasons. I'm guessing he'd rather chew his left foot off. He'd have perfect opportunity to cite security concerns.

 

[Vern]

Just because no one important was injured doesn't mean the security plan "did work". Hard to wash out of my mind the sight of security personnel streaking across the ballroom from one table top to another.

Members of Trump's cabinet etc were seated throughout the room and amongst the correspondants ergo why you see Secret Service seemingly 'all over the place'. So were the VIPs that they were assigned to protect.

Security worked properly and to plan in this situation. The Shooter was stopped before he made it to the ballroom ... or even to the same floor as the ballroom IMO.

 

[NuttMegg]

How do they know what exactly his intent was if he's not cooperating?

Blanche added that the suspect is not actively cooperating with authorities.

Allen purchased the shotgun he used to open fire in last night's attack in August 2025, according to two law enforcement sources, CBS News reported. He also owned another semiautomatic pistol, purchased in 2023, they said.

WHCD shooting suspect confesses to targeting 'administration officials'

Cole Allen, the suspect, did not specifically say he was targeting President Donald Trump, a law enforcement source told a major outlet, but just "administration officials."

www.themirror.com

He must be mental to use a shotgun. I guess we don't know yet if it was pellets or slugs.

 

[indicolite22]

Allen is not registered with any political party; his voter registration in Los Angeles County lists him as "no party preference," according to voter registration records viewed by ABC News.

What we know about the suspect in the White House correspondents' dinner shooting

Law enforcement sources identified the suspect in a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner as Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, California.

abcnews.com

Campaign finance records show Allen once donated $25 to a Democratic Party political action committee to back former Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential bid, as reported by The Associated Press.

https://fox4kc.com/politics/hill-politics/who-is-cole-allen-the-suspect-in-the-white-house-correspondents-association-dinner-shooting/

 

[Vern]

He must be mental to use a shotgun. I guess we don't know yet if it was pellets or slugs.

Have they released that?

The shots we hear being fired in the various videos aren't coming from a shotgun (pellet or slug) IMO & professional experience.

Him using a 'long gun' as described by a witness does not necessarily infer a shotgun ... just "a long gun" (ie: not a handgun they witnessed, but physically 'a long gun'). Especially so if the witness is not familiar with weapons.

 

[NuttMegg]

Members of Trump's cabinet etc were seated throughout the room and amongst the correspondants ergo why you see Secret Service seemingly 'all over the place'. So were the VIPs that they were assigned to protect.

Security worked properly and to plan in this situation. The Shooter was stopped before he made it to the ballroom ... or even to the same floor as the ballroom IMO.

I don't agree at all. I saw the vid of CA racing through the metal detectors, inside the building after reportedly assembling his weapon in an "unsecured room" located just before the detectors. And' several links have been posted, they were using copies of invitations to get through the outer rings of security outside the building.

How many levels of presidential succession were located in that room?