Conspiracy theories are flying after an alleged gunman was arrested at the Hilton hotel in Washington, D.C., where President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance were in attendance Saturday night. For the first time ever as president, Trump attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, a n event intended to bring the press and Trump’s cabinet together, but it was soured by gunfire.  White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt listens to US President Donald Trump speak during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, DC, shortly after a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 25, 2026. President Donald Trump said April 25 he believes the suspected shooter who stormed the White House correspondents’ dinner was a “lone wolf.” “In my opinion, he was a lone wolf,” Trump said, describing the man as a “whack job” and saying he felt there was no reason to believe the attack was connected to the war in Iran. (Photo by Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images) Viral video clips show Trump, first lady Melania Trump, and Vance being rushed out of the ballroom seconds after two loud bangs were heard as other attendees took cover under their tables. “A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, and he was taken down by some very brave members of the Secret Service,” Trump said in a news conference at the White House shortly after the incident. ‘Hahaha’: Pam Bondi’s Ex-aide Just Dragged MAGA by Accident, While Trying to Explain Why Trump’s Revenge Plot Isn’t Working “They seem to think he was a lone wolf, and I feel that too,” he added. The suspect, who police say was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives, reportedly charged through a security checkpoint outside of the ballroom where the dinner was being held. Investigators believe he was a guest at the hotel.  BREAKINGThe U.S. Secret Service just rushed the President and First Lady off the dais at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner after the sound of shots being fired was heard.They have since reportedly been evacuated. pic.twitter.com/p3KihVun9A— Yashar Ali (@yashar) April 26, 2026 Authorities exchanged gunfire with him before he was apprehended. One security service agent was shot, but escaped unscathed due to a bulletproof vest. The suspect was not injured. A photo of a shirtless handcuffed man face-down on a carpet immediately went viral after the shooting, and although the suspect has not been publicly identified by officials, a source close to the investigation identified the man as Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, to NBC News. The incident, which would be another in a series of attempts on Trump’s life, has raised many questions from online viewers. Speculation has been raised about how fast the footage of the suspect landed on social media, the timing, the accessibility of the shooter, and some of the comments those close to Trump made ahead of the shooting. Many doubters believe the shooting was staged. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s use of a metaphor has come under scrutiny, as she seemed to foreshadow the dark events that unfolded on a night meant to be lighthearted. “He is ready to rumble,” Leavitt told a reporter on the red carpet. “I will tell you this speech his classic Donald Trump. It’ll be funny. It’ll be entertaining. Shots will be fired. There will be some shots fired in the room. So everyone should tune in.” JUST NOW: Karoline Leavitt calls on everyone to watch tonight because Donald Trump will bring the heat and there will be “shots fired”LET’S FREAKING GO pic.twitter.com/GMkccJ7qvw— MAGA Voice (@MAGAVoice) April 25, 2026 The dinner, which is hosted by a comedian, is usually a roasting session for the press, the president and his cabinet. Trump has refused to attend as president because of his strained relationship with the press and to position himself as outside of Washington’s elite circle. Critics also assert that Trump doesn’t like being a punchline. “This is the most false-flaggest of false flags,” said one Reddit user in response to Leavitt’s remarks. “Trump is a demented coot, so he probably just had some schmuck fire a gun or make a loud noise to get out of doing this event. Typical TACO behavior.” “They knew it was coming,” another Reddit user said. Leavitt’s husband added more fuel to the speculation after it was revealed that he gave a Fox News reporter a warning at the beginning of the event. “He kind of leaned over and said, ‘I watch you on TV, you do a great job. You need to be very safe,’” Fox’s News’ Aishah Hasnie said live on air.  “He was very serious when he said that to me, and he kinda looked around the room and said, ‘There are some –’” Hasnie added before the call reportedly dropped. It's been 25 minutes and they've yet to bring her back.— Chris Menahan (@infolibnews) April 26, 2026 “They didn’t even try to reconnect. That call was dropped on purpose,” one viewer speculated.  Hasnie took to social media to finish the story, explaining that calls were constantly dropping in the ballroom, and Leavitt’s husband was warning her to be vigilant because “the world is crazy.” Our calls were dropping, because there is barely any service in that ballroom. To finish the story, he was telling me to be careful with my own safety because the world is crazy. Which is what my own father and other people have also said to me recently. He was expressing his…— Aishah Hasnie (@aishahhasnie) April 26, 2026 “Not long after, everything unfolded and when people started yelling to get down, he moved immediately, getting everyone at our table to safety, and I will always be grateful,” she said. Trump has vowed to attend the dinner again if it is rescheduled. WATCH: From our @cbsnews Special Report, @weijia describes what she saw from the front of the ballroom alongside President Trump @POTUS – and what we didn't see behind the scenes. pic.twitter.com/Lm1Zro8XyA— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) April 26, 2026 Social media accounts believed to belong to the 31-year-old suspect paint a picture of someone deeply embedded in academics and tech. A former professor described him as the last person you’d expect to see tied to something like this.  Bin Tang, who taught Allen at California State University–Dominguez Hills, told the Associated Press that he was “always sitting in the front row,” attentive, polite, and constantly engaged with coursework. “A very good student,” Tang said, adding he was shocked by the news. There are also signs Allen had been working on projects aimed at helping others. In a past interview with an ABC affiliate in Los Angeles, he spoke about developing a prototype emergency-braking system for wheelchairs, technology designed to protect vulnerable users. At the same time, his digital footprint shows a different side.  Just in: Cole Thomas Allen has been identified as the shooter at the White House Correspondents DinnerHe is a 31 year old teacher from Torrance, CaliforniaHe is a registered Democrat and donated to Kamala Harris in 2024Via: Karol Markowicz (@karol) pic.twitter.com/tguoYM025B— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) April 26, 2026 He reportedly spent the past six years working at C2 Education, where he was even recognized as teacher of the month in 2024. Online posts also suggest he had been developing video games, including a chemistry-based title for Steam and a separate top-down space combat shooter. Federal records show he made a $25 donation to a political action committee supporting Kamala Harris during the 2024 election cycle. The president seemed to call for unity at the end of the night, following a contentious five years in the political sphere. “But in light of this evening’s events, I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts and resolving our differences peacefully. We have to. We have to resolve our differences,” Trump said. ‘They Knew’: Karoline Leavitt and Husband Made Chilling Statements Before the Gunfire at White House Correspondents’ Dinner, and Now the Internet Is Connecting the Dots ...read more read less