31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from California has been identified as the suspect in the attempted shooting that occurred during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday night. Following the gunfire in the ballroom of the Washington Hilton, President Donald Trump shared a photo of the suspect along with a video of him trying to pass through a security checkpoint. Trump noted that the suspect was "armed with multiple weapons" and confirmed that a staff member was injured during the incident but was saved thanks to "clearly wearing a very good bulletproof vest."

Describing the moment Secret Service agents apprehended the suspect, President Trump said, "They drew their guns so fast they looked like Matt Dillon." This statement sparked discussions on social media; some users thought Trump was referring to actor Matt Dillon, while others claimed it was a reference to the character U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon from the Gunsmoke series, played by James Arness.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Shapiro confirmed that the suspect would be charged with using a firearm and assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon, adding that there would be "many more charges" in the future. According to a statement from Deputy Fire Chief Jeffery W. Carroll, the suspect was not injured in the attack. It was noted that the suspect was a guest at the Washington Hilton. While the incident is still under investigation, it is believed that the suspect acted alone.

After the gunfire, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were urgently evacuated from the stage and removed from the event. The White House Correspondents' Association dinner was canceled, and both WHCA and Trump promised to reschedule the event within 30 days. Trump stated that he wanted to "stay and fight incredibly hard" but was evacuated for protocol reasons.

In a briefing with press officials, Trump said, "The guy was caught. They are going to his apartment. I think he lives in California, and he is a very sick person, a very sick person, and we want to make sure there are no things like that." According to him, the incident has become the subject of multiple investigations, primarily concerning security protocols.