Harry Rapheal
WASHINGTON — April 25, 2026
CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins found herself reporting the biggest story of the night from her own dinner seat on Saturday, delivering a real-time account from inside the Washington Hilton’s International Ballroom after gunfire erupted just outside the doors of the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner and sent Secret Service agents rushing to shield President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump.
The shots rang out only moments after the head of the correspondents’ association had welcomed the president and first lady to the stage — the first time Trump had attended the annual black-tie gala as a sitting president in his second term. As guests ducked under tables and were guided toward exits by security officers, Collins, seated at the CNN table in an evening gown, began describing what she was witnessing on live television.
A reporter in the middle of the story
Standing beside Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Collins relayed information as it reached her table. “The secretary of education is seated right next to me, and her security just confirmed that there was a shooter in the lobby,” she said on air. Phone in hand, she captured footage of administration officials being hurried out of the room as confused guests around her struggled to grasp what was happening.
In the fog of the unfolding emergency, Collins at one point reported that the shooter had been killed — a detail she corrected on air a short time later as clearer information emerged. Reflecting afterward on how an evening meant to honor journalism had instantly become breaking news, she noted that CNN had covered the chaos as it learned the details in real time, “evening wear and all.”
Trump rushed from the stage
As the gunfire sounded, Secret Service agents formed a wall around the president and first lady, moving them off the stage and briefly taking them to the floor for cover before evacuating them from the building. Neither Trump nor Melania Trump was injured.
The suspect never made it into the ballroom. Federal agents subdued him near the packed room after an exchange of gunfire in the corridors above.
The suspect
Authorities identified the gunman as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, described as a teacher and engineer. Investigators said Allen had checked into a 10th-floor room at the Washington Hilton — a reservation booked weeks in advance — and left it dressed in black, carrying a shotgun, a handgun and several knives.
According to authorities, Allen used an interior stairwell to bypass heavily monitored areas of the hotel and stormed a Secret Service checkpoint on the floor above the ballroom, trading gunfire with law enforcement before he was apprehended at the scene. Investigators said he had sent a note to family members roughly 10 minutes before the attack, expressing a belief that it was his duty to target Trump administration officials.
Injuries
A Secret Service officer was struck by at least one round but was protected by a bulletproof vest and was expected to recover, officials said. No dinner guests were seriously hurt.
Charges
Two days later, on April 27, the Justice Department charged Allen with attempting to assassinate the president of the United States, transporting a firearm and ammunition across state lines with intent to commit a felony, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Aftermath
The near-miss rippled quickly across social media, where unfounded conspiracy theories claimed the shooting had been staged. The correspondents’ dinner — an institution built around celebrating the free press — was later rescheduled.
For Collins, the night underscored an old newsroom truth she has repeated since: breaking news arrives when you least expect it, sometimes from the chair right next to yours.
Editor’s note: This article was compiled from public reporting by CNN, NBC News, CBS News, ABC News, PBS, Time, and the U.S. Department of Justice. Direct quotations are limited to remarks attributed to Kaitlan Collins in that reporting.
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