WASHINGTON — The gunman who opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night has been identified as Cole Allen of Torrance, Calif. — with President Trump calling him a likely “lone wolf whack job” who “looked pretty evil.”
The 31-year-old, whom a federal law enforcement source confirmed is a teacher, was arrested after allegedly entering the Washington Hilton hotel and charging toward the ballroom where Trump and roughly 2,500 guests had assembled.
The gunfire broke out near the event’s indoors security screening area just after 8:30 p.m. — as salad was being served. The Secret Service rushed Trump out of the room as members of his cabinet ducked under tables before they too were evacuated.
Allen’s neighbor, who gave the name Jeff Smith, told The Post that “maybe he could be on the spectrum.”
Follow The Post’s live updates on the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Dramatic video posted on social media by Trump shows Allen opening fire and rushing toward the ballroom. A law enforcement officer was shot, with the bullet hitting his bulletproof vest.
“He was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives as he ran into that checkpoint,” DC police chief Jeffrey Carroll said.
“At this point it does appear he is a lone actor, a lone gunman,” Carroll said. “There does not appear to be any sort of danger to the public.”
Trump hosted a press conference at the White House shortly after the incident, joined by first lady Melania Trump, who appeared on the verge of tears when her husband mentioned prior assassination attempts.
“There was a tremendous amount of love and coming together I watched,” the president said. “I was very, very impressed by that.”
Trump revealed that he heard the gunshots, but was not immediately aware of the danger.
“I heard a noise, and thought it was a tray going down,” he said. “We heard that noise, and it was either a tray or a bullet. I was hoping it was a tray.”
The president vowed to headline a new correspondents dinner within 30 days and to rework his prepared remarks, in which he said he had been prepared to rip into reporters.
Trump praised White House Correspondents’ Association president Weijia Jiang, for her leadership, and said he wanted to continue the event before being urged to leave.
“I fought like hell to stay,” Trump said. “They said, ‘Please, sir,’ because they didn’t know … there was a lot of action going on, and they didn’t know.”
Trump vowed to continue his hard-charging political style.
“A lot of other people, you know, you read stories when they become basket cases, to be honest with you. I’m not a basket case,” Trump said.
“I want to live because I want to make this country great. That’s why I want to live. When you’re impactful, they go after you.”
The president declined to answer a question about how weapons were smuggled inside the hotel.
Guests had to pass an outer security perimeter, where they were required to show either a ticket or an invitation to a pre-party. There was no screening for weapons except for immediately before the ballroom.
A witness told The Post that the suspect appeared to emerge from a “makeshift room” near the entrance where bar carts were being stored and where “there was no security” at the time.
“He was in that room […] he grabbed it out of a bag or something,” said witness Helen Mabus, a volunteer working the event, adding that the weapon “was long” and “didn’t look like a typical gun.”
Witnesses described a frantic scene inside the venue after seven to eight shots were fired.
Attendees dove under tables as confusion spread. One journalist said guests “crawled under our table for what felt like a long time.”
President Donald Trump praised law enforcement for acting quickly.
“Quite an evening in DC Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, where he posted a photo of the suspect.
“The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we ‘LET THE SHOW GO ON,’ but will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement,” he added.
Law enforcement will soon search the suspect’s Torrance residence, according to the president.
Trump also said a Secret Service agent was shot at close range but is expected to recover.
The annual event has been delayed and will be rescheduled within 30 days, according to Trump.
