On the night of April 26, a shooting occurred at the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington during the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner, reports Todayinfo news agency. Shots were fired in the metal detector screening area at an event attended by US President Donald Trump and other high-ranking officials.
Trump and administration members were immediately evacuated, and the event was halted. No guests were injured, but a security service officer survived thanks to a bulletproof vest. According to the District of Columbia police, the shooter had a rifle, a pistol, and knives. He was detained at the entrance to the hall.
The suspect is 31-year-old teacher Cole Allen from California. He had previously been named "Teacher of the Month." According to US media reports, he stated that his targets were representatives of the US administration, but he did not directly aim at Trump. The man acted alone, arrived in Washington in advance, and stayed at the hotel for several days; he did not have an invitation. The weapons were purchased legally: the pistol in 2023, the rifle in 2025. He traveled to the capital by train via Chicago. The court hearing is scheduled for April 27.
World leaders quickly responded to the incident. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said violence is unacceptable and expressed support for the US. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney condemned the shooting, noting that political violence has no justification. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also condemned and supported the American side. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that violence has no place in politics. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed relief that Trump and other participants were unharmed. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari also made similar statements.
In Europe, the attack was also strongly condemned. French President Emmanuel Macron called the incident unacceptable, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that in a democratic society, problems should be solved through voting, not weapons. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was shocked by the incident and that attacks on democratic institutions are unacceptable. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the incident an attempted attack, expressed support for Trump, and emphasized the importance of the security service's swift action. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated that such attacks are a manifestation of cowardice and require serious assessment.
