Armed intruder breaches White House Correspondents' Dinner, sparking an evacuation, a shootout, and wounding a Secret Service agent in Washington.
A major security scare shook Washington, D.C., on the night of April 25, 2026, after an armed intruder attempted to storm the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, triggering the emergency evacuation of President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, senior administration officials, lawmakers, and hundreds of journalists from the Washington Hilton.
The annual gala—widely known as the “Nerd Prom”—had been underway for only about 20 minutes after the president and first lady arrived when the dramatic incident unfolded. According to federal authorities, an armed man tried to force his way through a secured checkpoint and advance toward the main ballroom before being confronted by U.S. Secret Service agents.
Investigators identified the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, a teacher, video game developer, and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) graduate. Officials said Allen was carrying a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives when he rushed the security perimeter, setting off an immediate law enforcement response.