🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨Breaking Update 4:
Suspect identification and weapons: Law‑enforcement officials have now identified the gunman as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31‑year‑old from Torrance, California. Authorities say he arrived at the Washington Hilton with multiple weapons and opened fire near the main security screening area.
Attack and response: Witnesses report that Allen fired at a Secret Service officer at very close range with a powerful gun. The officer’s ballistic vest stopped the bullet, sparing him serious injury. President Trump told reporters he spoke to the officer afterward and said he was in “high spirits”. Two U.S. officials later confirmed that the suspect is alive and in custody and was transported to a hospital; one Secret Service agent remains in hospital after being hurt.
Evacuation and chaos: The shooting happened just outside the subterranean ballroom. Guests inside heard several loud bangs, dived under tables and shouted “get down” as Secret Service agents rushed in and evacuated President Trump, Vice‑President JD Vance and other officials. The evacuation was orderly but tense; the incident recalled the 2024 attempted assassination for some attendees.
Event status: The dinner was briefly expected to resume but was ultimately scrapped for the night. Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, promised that the dinner would be rescheduled within 30 days. Trump has said he intends to attend the rescheduled event and stressed the need for a new, more secure White House ballroom with bulletproof glass and “drone‑proof” protection.
Context: This was Trump’s first appearance at the correspondents’ dinner as a sitting president. The annual event is meant to celebrate press freedom, but this year’s dinner had already been contentious because of Trump’s history of clashes with the media. The shooting heightened existing tensions but, despite the chaos, there were no fatalities and no injuries beyond the single officer whose vest stopped the bullet.
@end3of6days9 I think my dmv in Nevada is run very well. I have no problems with them. Wait time doesn’t even suck because they have a place to get snacks and clean bathrooms