Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche announced today that suspect Cole Tomas Allen, 31, likely traveled by train from Los Angeles, California, to Chicago, Illinois, before arriving in Washington D.C. and checking into the Washington Hilton hotel.
The hotel was the venue for the White House Correspondents' Dinner, attended by President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Vice President JD Vance.
Other senior administration officials were also present, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.
The exact time Allen checked into the hotel was not disclosed. However, on the evening of 25/4, the suspect, carrying a hunting rifle, a handgun, and a knife, breached a security checkpoint outside the event. US Secret Service agents intercepted him before he could enter the ballroom.
 |
US Secret Service agents respond to the gunman. _CBS News_ |
During a shootout with Secret Service agents, Allen shot an officer wearing a bulletproof vest before being subdued. The injured officer has since been discharged from the hospital.
As of the morning of 26/4 (evening of 26/4 Hanoi time), Allen had not yet revealed his motive to investigators.
"It appears the suspect genuinely planned to target government officials, likely including President Donald Trump. This is a preliminary assessment. We currently lack specific information on which individuals were targeted, beyond understanding that this was the suspect's objective," Blanche stated.
 |
Acting US Attorney General at a White House press conference on 25/4 after the shooting. _AFP_ |
Officials are continuing to investigate the suspect's motive, a process that may take several days.
The attack raised concerns about security and prompted questions about how the suspect managed to bring weapons past security checks. Blanche indicated that investigators are examining information suggesting the suspect may have assembled the weapons somewhere in the hotel but "did not get far enough" in his plan. "The suspect only breached the security perimeter by a few meters," he added.
Allen will be prosecuted in federal court on 27/4, facing charges of assaulting a federal officer and discharging a firearm with intent to kill a federal officer, according to Blanche.
 |
The suspect who opened fire at the hotel is subdued. _AFP_ |
The acting US Attorney General's announcement followed a series of overnight searches conducted by law enforcement, including at the suspect's home in Torrance, California.
According to a senior official, all of Allen's firearms were legally purchased. Records show Allen bought a Maverick hunting rifle in 8/2025 and an Armscor Precision handgun in 10/2023. These were the two weapons seized from Allen during the Washington Hilton attack.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump suggested the shooting highlighted the need for the ballroom currently under construction on the White House grounds.
According to him, the incident would never have happened "if there was a top-secret military-grade Ballroom," a structure that is not only "beautiful" but also equipped with "the highest level of security features," and notably "without rooms above where unvetted people can pour in."
Huyen Le (According to Reuters, CNN, NBC News)
