Witness says ballroom doors were open when gunman rushed White House dinner

Security at one of Washington’s most protected political gatherings was jolted when a gunman rushed toward the White House Correspondents’ Dinner as guests sat inside the Washington Hilton’s International Ballroom, and a witness said the ballroom doors were "wide open" at the moment he ran in.

Air Force veteran Erin Thielman said she had stepped just outside the ballroom to call her son when the suspect, later identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, moved toward the event. Thielman said Allen "fell right at my feet" and that she was so close she could have touched him. She began closing the ballroom doors because, as she put it, "we had the line of succession to our country in the ballroom."

The scene unfolded on April 25, 2026, with President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, first lady Melania Trump and other top Trump administration officials in attendance. About 2,500 guests were inside the annual gala when gunshots sounded outside the doors shortly after the White House Correspondents’ Association president welcomed Trump and Melania, sending the ballroom into chaos and prompting Secret Service agents to hustle the president and first lady off stage.

Federal officials said Allen was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives. They said he rushed a security checkpoint and exchanged gunfire with law enforcement before being arrested near the ballroom. A Secret Service officer was injured in the incident but survived because of a bulletproof vest. Allen later was charged with attempting to assassinate the president, transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.

Court documents show Allen traveled by train from near Los Angeles to Chicago and then to Washington, D.C. He made a reservation at the Washington Hilton on April 6, 2026, for three nights from April 24 to April 26, and arrived in the District at about 1 p.m. on April 24. Minutes before the attack, he sent family members a note saying he intended to target "administration officials prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest."

The episode has renewed questions about the security layers around the dinner. Officials said the Washington Hilton had closed to the public at 2 p.m., with access limited to hotel guests, dinner attendees and invited guests, while additional screening was set up inside the ballroom. White House Correspondents’ Association president Weijia Jiang called it a "harrowing moment" and said the board will meet to review what happened and determine next steps.