A California man was in custody Saturday night after a shooting at the White House correspondents' dinner at the Washington Hilton where President Trump was attending. Law enforcement officials identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, apprehended by the Secret Service after exchanging gunfire with authorities. He never reached the ballroom where Trump and hundreds of media members were gathered.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Allen faced charges of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault of a federal officer, with arraignment scheduled for Monday in Federal District Court. The suspect was carrying knives, a shotgun and a handgun, authorities said. A Secret Service agent was shot but protected by a bulletproof vest and taken to a hospital for treatment. The suspect was also hospitalized for evaluation.

Investigators were still determining whether Allen was specifically targeting the president. He was believed to be staying as a hotel guest when he carried out the attack. Caltech confirmed a Cole Allen earned an undergraduate degree in 2017, while Cal State Dominguez Hills said a student by that name graduated with a master's degree in 2025, though neither institution could confirm if it was the same person.