Shots were fired at the reception of the White House Correspondents' Association, which was attended by the President of the United States Trump, who was not injured, he himself did not come under fire.
Reports of a show by Trump are not valid since the perpetrator shot a member of the Secret Service, who was not seriously injured as he was wearing a bulletproof vest.
The American leader was not injured in the incident, nor was any member of the American Government.
Speaking from the White House, after being rushed from the scene at the White House correspondents' dinner, President Trump stated that “a man breached a security checkpoint, armed with many weapons”.
The president was not injured and one suspect is in custody.
The man “was apprehended by some very brave members of the Secret Service”, Trump said.
Trump: I may have been the target, it was very beautiful to see a man rush with many weapons and be subdued by the Secret Service
The President of the United States Trump addressed the press after an armed attack at an event he attended in Washington, at the hotel Washington Hilton.
The American leader stated that the perpetrator carried many weapons and implied that he himself could have been the target.
“It was, in a way, very beautiful to see a man rush into a checkpoint with many weapons and be subdued by very brave members of the Secret Service”, said Trump.
Trump admitted that he himself could have been the target of the perpetrator.
However, he doubted that the incident was connected to the operation against Iran.
“A lot of things were happening and law enforcement did not know if it was a lone actor, but we will find out. We will find out very quickly”, said the President of the United States.
Trump also confirmed that a security officer was injured in the shooting but feels well.
He also criticized the Washington Hilton for insufficient security measures.
川普身邊女士的肢體語言看起來很厲害國的樣子，有人知道她是誰嗎？ pic.twitter.com/q2RP7cX2sF
— 0 (@lammichaeltw) April 26, 2026
The suspect in the shooting was staying at the Washington Hilton where the reception with Trump took place
The suspect in the armed attack at a reception attended by the President of the United States Trump was staying at the Washington Hilton where the event took place, said the chief of police of Washington.
All those present at the Washington Hilton in the capital of the United States, where an official dinner with White House correspondents and members of the American Government was taking place, including Trump and his wife, were evacuated after shots were heard inside the building.
“So, based on preliminary information, we believe that this suspect in the shooting was staying here at the hotel”, the police said.
The arrest
Authorities have identified the suspect as a 31-year-old man, Cole Allen, from California.
In fact, the chief of police of Washington, Jeffery W Carroll, stated that the suspect “attacked” a Secret Service checkpoint, “he was armed with a hunting rifle, a handgun and several knives”.
The 31-year-old will appear before court on Monday 27/4, while his motives remain unknown so far.
??? BREAKING: The suspect in the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting has been identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 26, 2026
-Video has emerged showing someone on the ground with U.S. Secret Service agents inside the Washington Hilton
-Believed to… https://t.co/EOkEIKYxj1 pic.twitter.com/PQoka3QLSR
What happened?
Officers of the United States Secret Service escorted Trump, the First Lady Melania Trump, the Vice President J. D. Vance and the White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt from the stage after loud explosions.
The shots were fired in the lobby of the Washington Hilton hotel.
The perpetrator had a “serious weapon”, reported CNN.
Fox News claims that the shots were against a Secret Service officer.
1) The Associated Press reported that the President of the United States was not injured in the incident.
According to journalists of the White House press pool, Trump did not leave the hotel where the shooting occurred.
2) Fox News reported that Trump will not return to the reception.
3) The Secret Service stated that the President of the United States and the First Lady are safe after the incident.
4) Trump stated that he left the reception immediately after the shots.
5) Trump announced that he will give a press conference after the incident.
6) The American leader also noted that no official of the United States Government was injured.
7) A Secret Service officer was slightly injured, according to the Associated Press.
Cole Allen's Interesting Background
— The SCIF (@TheSCIF) April 26, 2026
"Hey SCIF, the man is definitely an op. Life of missile engineering, 2-year disappearance, quick stint at an education tech company that's used in LA schools, then he's a teacher. That Su-Kam system needs to be torn apart at the code..." –… pic.twitter.com/roLySJcD7f
“Shots will be heard...” Chilling statement by Press Secretary Leavitt before the chaos at the correspondents' dinner
The White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, made a statement that causes chills after the event.
Just a few minutes before shots were heard at the dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association, at the Washington Hilton hotel, where Donald Trump was present, she referred to “shots”.
According to the Daily Beast, the statement was made while she was commenting on the speech that Trump had prepared.
“I will tell you that tonight’s speech will be in the classic style of Donald J. Trump.
It will be funny.
It will be entertaining.
Tonight there will be shots”, she said characteristically.
A phrase that was then interpreted metaphorically, but shortly afterward seemed chillingly literal.
The timing coincidence between Leavitt’s statement and the shooting incident raises intense questions.
Was it a simple, unfortunate choice of words?
Or a chilling foreshadowing of what was about to happen?
Profile of the perpetrator
The suspect in the shooting at the dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association was identified after his arrest as the 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen, a resident of Torrance in California, with studies in mechanical engineering and computer science from the California Institute of Technology and the California State University Dominguez Hills. According to the available information, he worked as a part-time teacher at C2 Education and as an independent creator of electronic games, while in the past he had been employed as a mechanical engineer and a member of teaching staff.
Authorities estimate that he was staying at the Washington Hilton where the event was taking place, however his motive remains unknown.
The Secret Service reported that he was armed with a shotgun and was arrested on the spot.
According to Axios, the suspect was armed with a hunting rifle and was attempting to breach security.
A source told the outlet that he shot a Secret Service agent, hitting his bulletproof vest.
The Secret Service clarified that the incident occurred near the main security checkpoint and one person was arrested.
Iranian media - Gangster show by Trump or real event?
The shooting incident at the Hilton hotel, where Trump’s dinner with White House journalists took place, has been met with doubts, suspicions and major questions after the first minutes.
Many American social media users ask, if this is a big show, what is Trump’s goal?
Is he trying to use it for the upcoming midterm elections in the United States or is he trying to use it against Iran or another country?
Some signs that make this story look like a show by Trump are the following:
A similar, but much more serious, incident happened before the presidential elections, and Trump was shot in the ear.
Trump exploited this incident for his pre-election propaganda.
And some say that this incident may have been prepared for the midterm elections.
It is said that the White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt stated in a speech before the ceremony that there would be shots tonight.
In this situation, which should have been very critical and related to security, Trump publishes a tweet presenting himself as a hero and brave, and even announces that he is willing to remain at the ceremony from which he eventually departed.
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