Suspect details in White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting

New information is surfacing about the individual who fired shots outside the ballroom during the White House Correspondents' Dinner where President Trump and several high-ranking officials were present on Saturday night.

The president and first lady, Melania Trump, evacuated safely, with no serious injuries among the attendees, according to reports from authorities.

A Secret Service agent was hit by gunfire, but due to wearing a bulletproof vest, the agent is expected to recover fully, officials reported.

The suspect, identified through law enforcement sources by CBS News as 31-year-old Cole Allen from Torrance, California, was captured at the location.

No motive has been officially disclosed, but two sources informed CBS News that upon his arrest, Allen expressed a desire to target Trump administration members.

According to two law enforcement sources, between five to eight shots were fired during the event, as reported to CBS News.

During a late-night press briefing, Jeff Carroll, acting chief of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, mentioned that the suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and several knives when he attempted to breach a security point outside the dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel.

President Trump shared a social media image depicting the suspect, shirtless and restrained, lying on the hotel floor after being detained.

The suspect did not receive any gunshot wounds but was taken to a medical facility for assessment, Carroll stated.

Carroll confirmed that the suspect was a hotel guest but did not provide further details such as his check-in date or findings from the room search.

"At this time, it seems he acted alone, as a solitary gunman," Carroll noted, explaining that investigations continue.

In a separate White House briefing, President Trump addressed journalists noting that there was belief the suspect operated as a "lone wolf."

According to two law enforcement sources, Allen previously worked for a tutoring company named C2 Education in Torrance, confirmed to CBS News. He was honored with a "Teacher of the Month" award by the organization in December 2024.

There's uncertainty whether he continues to work for the company. The Torrance Unified School District clarified to CBS News that Allen had never been employed by them.

The California Institute of Technology verified via email to CBS News that Allen graduated from Caltech in 2017, though no additional information was shared.

Late Saturday evening, federal and local authorities were observed at a Torrance residence believed to be linked to the suspect. Around 10:30 p.m. Pacific Time, CBS News Los Angeles footage captured federal agents entering the property.

Charges against Allen include one count each of using a firearm in a violent crime and assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon, announced US Attorney for D.C., Jeanine Pirro, Saturday night. Pirro indicated that more charges are anticipated as the investigation proceeds.

"It's evident from current intel that this individual aimed to cause significant harm and inflict as much damage as possible," Pirro expressed.