Fact Check: Did the suspect fire a weapon at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner?
WASHINGTON, DC: An online claim is gaining traction that the suspect in the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting never fired his weapon before being arrested. The assertion appears to stem from a US Department of Justice affidavit that does not explicitly state the suspect, identified as Allen, discharged a firearm. But does the document really support what’s being widely shared on social media?
Claim: Cole Thomas Allen did not open fire before being arrested
Wait a minute — is it true that the WHCA dinner shooter didn’t actually discharge his weapon?
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) April 28, 2026
According to the US Department of Justice, Cole Tomas Allen attempted to enter the White House Correspondents' Dinner on April 25, 2026, with the alleged intent of killing US President Donald Trump and as many members of his administration as possible. Federal agents intercepted him before he could enter the event. During the incident, a Secret Service agent was shot in the chest but avoided injury due to a ballistic vest.
The claim circulating online that Allen did not fire his weapon gained traction after one X user framed it as a question: “Wait a minute — is it true that the WHCA dinner shooter didn’t actually discharge his weapon?”
Similar posts appeared on X and Threads. The claim appears to stem from a DOJ affidavit in the case, which does not explicitly state that Allen discharged a firearm.
Fact Check: The claim about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner suspect is unverified
However, during an April 27, 2026, news conference, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that, based on the information available to the department, Allen had fired a weapon. He added that federal prosecutors charged Allen with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Allen has not yet entered a plea, and the available public information remains insufficient to independently verify all details of his actions on April 25, leaving certain claims unconfirmed.
According to a Federal Bureau of Investigation affidavit cited by the US Department of Justice, Allen attempted to enter the White House Correspondents' Dinner at around 8:40 pm on April 25.
The affidavit states: “ALLEN approached and ran through the magnetometer holding a long gun. As he did so, U.S. Secret Service personnel assigned to the checkpoint heard a loud gunshot. U.S. Secret Service Officer V.G. was shot once in the chest; Officer V.G. was wearing a ballistic vest at the time."
Todd Blanche weighs in on the announced charges against Allen
On the same day, the US Department of Justice announced charges against Allen, and reporters twice questioned acting Attorney General Todd Blanche during a news conference about whether Allen had fired his weapon.
In response, Blanche said investigators were reviewing the evidence “carefully and expeditiously,” adding that more details would be available soon. He stated that, based on the complaint, authorities believed the suspect “fired out of his shotgun,” but noted that detailed ballistic analysis was still ongoing and had not been finalized.
A few minutes later, when asked again about the DOJ affidavit, which did not explicitly state that Allen fired a weapon, Blanche reiterated that Allen had been charged under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), “Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence.” He explained that, in his view, the charge itself indicates a firearm was discharged, and added: “I can tell you from what I know, with the understanding that we’re a day and a half in, that this is the gun that he discharged.”
