‘This offence uprooted my entire life,’ his latest victim said.
All posts by FreeNews
Erika Kirk was at dinner as shooter attempted to storm room
US President Donald Trump was rushed to safety during the White House Correspondents' Dinner after shots were fired at the event.
The security incident forced the cancellation of the gala, known as a highlight of the Washington DC calendar for political figures and journalists alike.
So who was in attendance at the annual event?
LIVE UPDATES: Startling footage of moment Trump, Vance rushed to safety emerges
High-profile officials
US Vice President JD Vance joined President Trump for the correnspondents' dinner.
Both Trump and Vance were not injured during the shooting, which saw authorities swarm the banquet hall and many of the 2600 guests ducked under tables by the hundreds.
EXPLAINED: What we know about the gunman accused of shooting at Donald Trump
First lady Melania Trump joined her husband and appeared to reacted to something in the crowd, Reuters has reported.
FBI director Kash Patel, Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, Homeland Security secretary Markwayne Mullin, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt were also in attendance.
US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made an appearance at the annual event with his wife, actress Cheryl Hines.
White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller attended the dinner with his wife Katie Miller.
US House Speaker Mike Johnson was among the congressional members who were evacuated by security officials.
WHAT WE KNOW: Man in custody after shot fired at Trump dinner
Republican representative Mike Lawler, who was also a guest at the dinner, told PBS News he heard a pop.
"We didn't know what the hell it was. And then you heard all sorts of things clatter," he said.
Kerry Kennedy, a lawyer and activist who is part of the Kennedy family, was having a conversation with politician Jamie Raskin when the shooting broke out.
"I hit the floor at the White House Correspondent's Dinner mid conversation with Rep. Jamie Raskin, who heroically protected me, whispering, "You're ok, you're ok, you're ok," Kennedy wrote on Facebook.
"Then the doors burst open, and scores of Secret Service agents rushed into the room, many with hands on holsters."
Notable figures present
Erika Kirk, whose husband Charlie was assassinated at a college event last year, was at the dinner and was seen being consoled afterwards.
Kirk has been the CEO of Turning Point USA since her husband's death.
In a social media video posted by CNN host Sara Sidner, Kirk was seen being escorted out of the event.
"I just want to go home," she said in the video.
WATCH HERE: CCTV of the moment alleged gunman bursts into hotel
Celebrity mentalist Oz Pearlman served as the official entertainment for the evening.
Trump had interacted with Pearlman on stage minutes before the secret service stormed into the main ballroom.
Mehmet Oz, also known as physician and television presenter Dr Oz, attended the gathering with his wife Lisa Oz.
Dr Oz now works under President Trump as an administrator for the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Actor Zachary Levi, who voiced Flynn Rider in the Disney film Tangled, recounted the security incident.
"We were sitting at the table, and there was some loud banging that definitely caught my attention," Levi said in comments reported by USA Today.
"In the back of my head I kind of jokingly thought that kind of sounds like gun shots."
"The next thing we saw, everybody started to turn and drop, there was commotion."
WATCH: Moment Vice President JD Vance rushed off stage
A host of prominent Washington journalists were also present at the event.
Kaitlan Collins, Wolf Blitzer, Pamela Brown and Kasie Hunt were among the journalists and anchors representing CNN.
CBS News senior correspondent Weijia Jiang attended the event in her capacity as a journalist and the White House Correspondents' Association president.
Jacqui Heinrich and Bret Baier were among the correspondents representing Fox News at the dinner.
Following the security incident, Blitzer said he was close to the suspect when shots were fired outside the ballroom.
Blizter had just left the men's restroom on an upper floor outside the ballroom at the Washington Hilton when he saw a man with "a very, very serious weapon."
"All the sudden a guy with a weapon, it was a very, very serious weapon, it starts shooting," Blitzer said.
"I happened to have been a few feet away from him as he was shooting."
READ MORE: 'Outrageous': Push in Congress for Ghislaine Maxwell to be pardoned
Several media figures from Australia were among the guests in attendance.
Journalist and dating columnist Jana Hocking told social media she was forced to hide under the table at the event.
Hocking, who had earlier posted photos of herself getting ready and arriving at the event, wrote on Instagram "I'm ok, we hid under a table."
ABC Australia Americas editor John Lyons was inside the main ballroom as the security incident unfolded.
"The president has been put under a table, people are on the floor," Lyons said in a video.
"It's pretty scary because we don't know what's happened."
NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.
- Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
- Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
- Sign up to our breaking newsletter here
‘Teacher of the month’: Alleged shooter identified
The man suspected of opening fire at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner worked as a teacher and video game developer from Southern California, according to public records.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, on the edge of Los Angeles in California was named "teacher of the month" in December, 2024, according to his employer.
Interim Washington, DC, police chief Jeffery W Carroll said the suspect was armed with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives.
EXPLAINED: What we know about the gunman accused of shooting at Donald Trump
One officer was shot, but he was protected by a bulletproof vest.
Footage shows shooter storming security
CCTV footage posted by Trump on Truth Social shows the moment the alleged shooter rushed security inside the Hilton hotel.
More than half a dozen police and Secret Service agents were manning a security station near the banquet hall.
READ MORE: Who was in attendance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner?
The alleged shooter sprints past, armed with a long arm, before security immediately began opening fire in his direction.
"He was moving, he was really moving, and the reaction time was great," Trump told reporters.
He also posted an image without a caption, of a man being held on a carpeted floor.
"They seem to think he was a lone wolf, and I feel that too," he told reporters.
WHO'S WHO: Who was in attendance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner?
WHAT WE KNOW: Man in custody after shot fired at Trump dinner
WATCH HERE: CCTV of the moment alleged gunman bursts into hotel
LIVE UPDATES: 'Sick person': Trump says officer shot after dinner chaos
"He was a guy who looked pretty evil when he was down. He was biting hard."
Another photo taken at the scene shows a man covered with a foil blanket on the floor with his hands cuffed, overseen by law enforcement officers.
Suspect worked as a part-time teacher
A LinkedIn profile matching his name and photo described him as a part-time teacher at C2 Education, a test prep and tutoring company.
C2 named Allen the company's "teacher of the month" in December 2024, according to social media posts from the company. When CNMN attempted to reach out no one answered a phone number for C2.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Allen graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.
He received a master's degree in computer science from California State University-Dominguez Hills last year.
Allen also described himself as a video game developer on his LinkedIn profile, and appears to have published an indie game called Bohrdom for sale on the Steam gaming platform for $US1.99.
He registered a trademark for the game's name in 2018, according to federal trademark records.
Suspect thought to have worked alone
Carroll said investigators had no reason to believe at this time that anyone else was involved.
Carroll, said that he could not say at this point what the shooter's motivation was, and that it is too soon to know who the suspect had intended to target in the shooting.
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said the suspect is being charged preliminarily with two charges related to using a firearm and assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon, but that there will be many more charges filed "based on the information that we are learning in this very fluid situation."
Pirro said the suspect would be arraigned on Monday in federal district court.
Media have been seen at a house connected to him in the Californian city.
Trump called the shooter a "whack job," and a "sick person."
– with CNN, AP.
Manurewa assault: Victim seriously injured after alleged attack with weapon
The victim has been taken to Middlemore Hospital in a serious condition.
What we know so far about Donald Trump shooting at Washington DC dinner
US president Donald Trump has been rushed to safety with wife Melania after shots were fired at an exclusive dinner in Washington DC, hitting one law enforcement officer.
President Donald Trump and other top officials including Vice president JD Vance were attending the White House correspondents' dinner.
One law-enforcement official confirmed a shooter opened fire at the event at the banquet hall at the Washington Hilton hotel.
LIVE UPDATES: 'Sick person': Trump says officer shot after dinner chaos
READ MORE: What we know about the gunman accused of shooting at Donald Trump
President Donald Trump was uninjured and other top leaders of the United States were evacuated.
Trump says he heard a noise which he thought was a dinner or drinks tray being dropped, but then realised was a gunshot.
He claimed a man "charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons."
"It's always shocking when something like this happens, it's happened to me a little bit and that never changes," he said at a press conference.
"I heard a noise, and I thought it was a tray, a tray going down, it was a pretty loud noise it was from quite far away, he hadn't breached the area at all…but it was a gun.
"I was watching to see what was happening. I probably should have gone down even faster.
"Melania… I think she knew. We were whisked away."
Multiple shots reported by witnesses
Some in the crowd reported hearing what they believed to be five to eight shots fired.
Attendees were waiting for Trump's speech.
The FBI said the shooter is in custody and that its Washington field office is responding to the shooting.
He has been named as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, which is on the edge of Los Angeles in California.
READ MORE: Who was in attendance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner?
Trump said one officer was shot but "saved" by a bulletproof vest.
"I just spoke to the officer, and he's doing great," he said.
Police chief says suspect's motivations unclear
Interim Washington, DC, police chief Jeffery W. Carroll said the suspect was armed with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives.
He said investigators had no reason to believe at this time that anyone else was involved.
Carroll, said that he could not say at this point what the shooter's motivation was, and that it is too soon to know who the suspect had intended to target in the shooting.
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said the suspect is being charged preliminarily with two charges related to using a firearm and assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon, but that there will be many more charges filed "based on the information that we are learning in this very fluid situation."
Pirro said the suspect would be arraigned on Monday in federal district court.
Police said they're examining the scene and speaking to witnesses.
READ MORE: Man in custody after shot fired at Trump dinner
Attendees were eating a spring pea and burrata salad, and waiters had begun preparing to bring out the next course when a security detail appeared on the ballroom floor and yelled for everyone to get down.
Journalists in gowns and tuxedos ducked near tables as wine splattered onto white tablecloths and glasses clinked in the hurry to seek safety.
Armed security burst through the doors of the ballroom and raced toward the dais where Trump sat as attendees ducked or crouched under tables.
The banquet hall was immediately evacuated.
Members of the National Guard took up position inside the building as people were allowed to leave but not reenter.
Security outside was also extremely tight.
Trump said that a "shooter has been apprehended" in a post to Truth Social about 30 minutes later.
The hotel commonly stays open to public while the event is held.
The glamourous annual event sees journalists and political staff as well as some celebrities mingle while raising money for charity.
EXPLAINED: What we know about the gunman accused of shooting at Donald Trump
WHO'S WHO: Who was in attendance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner?
WHAT WE KNOW: Man in custody after shot fired at Trump dinner
WATCH HERE: CCTV of the moment alleged gunman bursts into hotel
‘Fought like hell’: Trump’s reaction to yet another shooting
US President Donald Trump has told reporters he "fought like hell" to stay at the White House correspondents' dinner after several shots were fired outside of the event.
Trump promised the gathering would be rescheduled to a later date while vowing to not "let anybody take over our society".
"We're not gonna cancel things because we can't do that," Trump said following the incident.
LIVE UPDATES: Shooter charges checkpoint armed with multiple weapons at Trump dinner
Trump and Vice President JD Vance were among those evacuated after witnesses reported hearing five to eight shots ring out.
The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the banquet hall as hundreds of guests ducked for cover under tables.
"We wanted to stay tonight, I will tell you, I fought like hell to stay, but it was protocol," Trump said.
"They said 'please sir', because there was a lot of action going on.
"They didn't know, could there be, probably a lone shooter but we'll find out, we'll find out very quickly.
"They have it very well under control."
The US President's comments echo his response to his attempted assassination at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in July 2024.
Trump was told to get down when shots were heard at the event attended by about 50,000 people.
Once he was able to get to his feet, he pumped his fist in the air and appeared to mouth the word "Fight" twice, prompting loud cheers and then chants of "USA. USA. USA."
CNN reports the correspondents' dinner shooting suspect is 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from the Los Angeles suburb of Torrance in Southern California.
"The man has been captured, they're going to his apartment," Trump said.
"He's a very sick person and we don't want things like this to happen again."
The news outlet reports Allen is a teacher and video game developer, citing public records.
A LinkedIn profile matching Allen's name and photo described him as a part-time teacher at test preparation and tutoring company C2 Education.
C2 named Allen the company's "teacher of the month" in December 2024, according to social media posts from the company.
WHO'S WHO: Who was in attendance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner?
CNN contacted the education company for comment but was unable to reach a spokesperson.
Allen is expected to be charged with shooting and weapons possession-related offences, Attorney General Todd Blanche said.
Loud sounds resembling gunshots could be heard in CNN vision from inside the dining hall, followed by screams as attendees scrambled for cover.
The shooting happened outside the ballroom on an upper floor near the security screening area of the lobby, where the restrooms are located.
"Out of the way, sir!" someone yelled. Others yelled to duck.
Several US Secret Service agents yelled, "shots fired".
Trump later told reporters the reaction time of authorities was "great".
He also posted an image without a caption, of a man being held on a carpeted floor.
"They seem to think he was a lone wolf, and I feel that too," he told reporters.
Trump and all other guests were not physically harmed, but one Secret Service officer was shot.
WATCH HERE: CCTV of the moment alleged gunman bursts into hotel
The bullet struck the office's bulletproof vest and they were taken to hospital.
"I just spoke to the officer, and he's doing great," Trump said.
Police said they're examining the scene and speaking to witnesses.
A motive for the shooting is yet to be established.
In posts to Trump's Truth Social page, the alleged gunman was pictured handcuffed on the carpeted floor of the Hilton Hotel.
Other members of Trump's Cabinet who were also in attendance were also rushed out.
Trump released a statement after he was evacuated from the ballroom, insisting he wished to return to the dinner.
In a post to his Truth Social platform, Trump said Secret Service and police officers did a fantastic job on "quite an evening".
"They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we "LET THE SHOW GO ON" but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement," he said.
"They will make a decision shortly. Regardless of that decision, the evening will be much different than planned, and we'll just, plain, have to do it again."
The dinner was later cancelled and will be rescheduled over the next 30 days, Trump said.
Veteran reporter gives eye-witness account
Veteran CNN reporter Wolf Blitzer said he was just a few feet away from the gunman when he opened fire.
Wolf Blitzer had just left the men's restroom on an upper floor outside the ballroom at the Hilton Hotel when he saw a man with "a very, very serious weapon."
"All of a sudden I heard these loud, very loud, very scary gunshots right near me. Next thing I knew, a police officer threw me to the ground and was on top of me," Blitzer said.
"I didn't see all the details, but I did see the gunman on the ground after he started shooting," Blitzer told CNN.
The officers took him back in the the men's restroom where about 15 other men were also taking shelter.
The CNN anchor said the gunman was just "a few feet away" from him when the gunfire began.
"I did see the gunman on the ground after he started shooting. Police officers threw him to the ground but he was still shooting. And I could hear the shots going off," Blizter said, adding that there were a lot of police there to secure him quickly.
Not a "particularly secure building", Trump admits
Generally, the Hilton hotel, where the dinner has taken place for years, remains open to regular guests during the White House Correspondents Dinner.
Security has typically been focused on the ballroom, rather than the hotel at large, with little screening for people not entering the dinner itself.
In past years, that has created openings for disruptions in the lobby and other public spaces, including protests in which security moved to remove guests who unfurled banners or staged demonstrations.
Trump admitted it's not a "particularly secure building", adding that's why he "needs the ballroom" he's trying to build at the White House.
"Today we need levels of security that probably nobody's ever seen before."
Trump attended the high-profile dinner for the first time as president, after skipping the event last year and during his first term in office.
The correspondents' dinner gathers politicians and journalists on the last Saturday in April to celebrate the First Amendment and the role of a free press.
NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.
- Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
- Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
- Sign up to our breaking newsletter here
Moment alleged shooter runs past security
Vision of the moment Donald Trump was rushed to safety and the would-be shooter stormed past security was caught on video and shared as the episode unfolded.
Many of the 2600 guests were forced to duck under tables after shots were fired at the annual event held at the Washington Hilton.
In the vision posted to the US President's Truth Social page, the alleged shooter rushed past security towards the main ballroom of the Washington Hilton.
LIVE UPDATES: 'Loud sounds': Trump rushed to safety after shots fired
The man appeared to initially startle several security guards as he ran past the metal detectors.
Within a few seconds, guards had drawn their guns and started to chase the suspect.
As high-profile attendees heard the start of the commotion, they appeared to be shocked and confused.
The attendees had been seated for a short time when the Secret Service flooded the room and yelled for people to "get down" and "stay down".
READ MORE: Who was in attendance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner?
Several US Secret Service agents yelled, "shots fired".
President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and First Lady Melania Trump rushed off the stage as authorities swarmed the banquet hall.
Reuters reported that shortly before being escorted off the stage, Melania Trump appeared to react to something in the crowd and had a concerned look on her face.
As guests hid under their tables, heavy-armed guards rushed to the front of the stage, some with their weapons drawn as they scanned the crowd.
The annual event has since been cancelled.
NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.
- Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
- Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
- Sign up to our breaking newsletter here
Kiwi shearers facing charges after footage showing abuse of sheep uncovered
Four shearers face more than 20 animal welfare charges from the ministry.
Why we’re seeing the rise of pet parents across Australian suburbs
Many Australians are rethinking traditional family life due to rising costs, changes in rental laws, and a desire for independence.
And that is resulting in the number of dogs per household overtaking the number of kids in a cluster of suburbs, new research shows.
For pet parents, factoring animals into daily plans is nothing new.
But local government data and business trends indicate that caring for pets now occupies a greater share of their owners' lives.
If you want a sense of just how much things have changed, look no further than Sydney's Inner West – where the average household now boasts more dogs than children.
Close to 50,000 dogs are microchipped across the local government area, up from about 43,200 in 2023 following a pandemic-era lift.
Marrickville leads with around 4300, followed by Leichhardt and Balmain.
To keep pace with surging demand, Marrickville daycare centre Kip Happy Stays has rolled out additional services.
One of their trainers, Mandi Wright, said this is driven by a growing number of residents treating dogs "as part of the family."
"While we've traditionally offered boarding at our larger facilities in Lake Macquarie and the Hunter Valley, this expansion makes it much easier for Inner West pet owners to access high-quality care locally."
Demand for off-leash space is also high – Inner West Council maintains 44 such areas, among the most in Sydney, with more in the pipeline.
To support the growing pet population, a council spokesperson revealed that a dedicated team has been introduced to handle requests for microchipping, registrations, complaints, and park patrols.
Meanwhile, changes to rental laws have lowered barriers to pet ownership for many – a pattern of note in the Inner West, where over 40 per cent of residents rent.
The pet parent conversation is not confined to a single neighbourhood.
In Peakhurst, 62-year-old Rosie finds her days filled with "unconditional affection" from her kelpie, Roxy, rather than children.
"Having a pet allows me to nurture and care for another being while still maintaining independence in my personal, career, and lifestyle choices. It felt like the right balance for where I am in life."
While having a pet isn't cheap, Rosie noted that the costs are often more predictable than those of raising children.
Still, this doesn't mean that one subset of parents is financially better off.
One Inner West local spends close to $10,000 a year on daycare alone to work full-time at her office job.
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, adopted her French bulldog, Trunks, during the pandemic.
She told nine.com.au that, remarkably, it’s often parents themselves who are the most supportive of her decision to be kid-free.
"Overall, I do believe attitudes are becoming more accepting of having pets instead of children," she said.
Trunks' mum said that although day-to-day costs affect everyone, she sees them as just one part of a broader equation when deciding whether to have kids.
"I think more people would have children if homes weren't 10 times their salary, if childcare were completely free or more heavily subsidised, and if there was easy, uncapped and free access to specialised services pre and post birth."
Ultimately, deciding who makes up your family (child or canine) comes down to the individual, Rosie believes.
"There's no one-size-fits-all answer – both paths come with rewards and trade-offs. What matters most is choosing a lifestyle that aligns with your priorities, values, and vision for your future."
NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.
- Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
- Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
- Sign up to our breaking newsletter here
Teen charged after armed thieves scope out suburbs in stolen Mustang
A teenager has been charged after a group armed with a large knife were allegedly spotted casing out cars and homes across Queensland's south-east in a stolen Mustang.
CCTV shows a hooded thief with a large knife getting out of the blue Mustang and trying to start an unlocked car in the driveway of a home on the Gold Coast yesterday morning.
Police allege that was one of several unsuccessful attempted car thefts during a 20-hour spree.
READ MORE: Terrified patrons caught up in drive-by shooting at popular bar
The car was also allegedly sighted in a number of suburbs from Mango Hill, north of Brisbane, down to Ormeau Hill, Pacific Pines and Southport on the Gold Coast.
The Mustang was stolen from a home in Minyama, on the Sunshine Coast, about 11pm on Friday, after the keys to the car were stolen from inside the home, police allege.
The car made its way back up to Logan from the Gold Coast yesterday afternoon, where PolAir spotted it travelling from the Gateway Motorway to the Logan Motorway about 5.30pm yesterday.
READ MORE: 'Too much work': Trump calls off sending envoys to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran
Police laid out stop sticks in Underwood about 7.05pm and the Mustang was abandoned in a nearby carpark off Kingston Road.
A 15-year-old boy was arrested a short time later at a home in Woodridge.
He has been charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle and will appear before the Beenleigh Childrens Court tomorrow.
Nobody else has been arrested in relation to the incident. Investigations are ongoing.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.
Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.
NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.
- Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
- Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
- Sign up to our breaking newsletter here