DOJ Probing DC Gala Shooting Suspect’s Alleged Tie to Activist Network—What to Know

The California man who was arrested at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was part of a movement called the ‘Wide Awakes,’ officials say.

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DOJ Probing DC Gala Shooting Suspect’s Alleged Tie to Activist Network—What to Know — (L-R) U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Assistant Director Darren Cox at a press conference on the weekend shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, at the Justice Department in Washington on April 27, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

Janice Hisle

Senior Reporter

Savannah Hulsey Pointer

4/30/2026|Updated: 4/30/2026

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Cole Allen, the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump on April 25, allegedly participated in an activist movement called the “Wide Awakes,” authorities said.

Federal officials accuse Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, of exchanging gunfire with officers in the Washington Hilton Hotel, injuring one, near a ballroom where Trump was attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Agents caught the suspect as he dashed toward the ballroom.

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Janice Hisle mainly writes in-depth reports based on U.S. political news and cultural trends, following a two-year stint covering President Donald Trump’s 2024 reelection campaign. Before joining The Epoch Times in 2022, she worked more than two decades as a reporter for newspapers in Ohio and authored several books. She is a graduate of Kent State University's journalism program. You can reach Janice at: [email protected]