Claim:The man arrested for shooting at the White House Correspondents’ dinner on 25 April 2026 has been confirmed dead, according to CNN.
Fact: This claim is false. CNN did not report any such development. Cole Tomas Allen is alive and has been charged with attempting to assassinate the US President.
On 26 April 2026, an X user, made the following post:
“TRUMP AND J.D. VANCE SECURE AND SAFE The shooter in the ballroom of the White House Correspondents’ dinner has been confirmed dead — per CNN.”
The user shared this post, alongside a 28-second video of US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance being escorted away as shots were fired.
White House Correspondents’ Dinner
On 26 April 2026, a shooting incident occurred during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton. The suspect, later identified as Cole Tomas Allen, was armed with a shotgun, handgun, and knives. Secret Service Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said that Allen opened fire near the main screening area at the entrance of the event. He was then tackled and arrested.
US Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told NBC News that the suspect was likely to target the United States President Donald Trump and officials in his administration.
Footage by CNN shows the attendees taking cover behind their tables as the security personnel rushed to cover Trump and his first lady, Melania Trump, who bent down behind the dais before being escorted out by the officers. Security agents also provided cover for other cabinet officials including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
After an hour of the incident, Trump announced on his Truth Social account that the “shooter has been apprehended”.
Allen is a 31 year-old teacher and engineer from Torrance, California. NBC News claims that a senior official from the US administration has provided them with a transcript of Allen’s writings which show that the suspect had sent a message to his parents, colleagues, and students, before the attack. He had apologised for what he was about to do as he believed that it was his “duty” to target Trump administration officials. .
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check investigated this post now named suspect Cole Tomas Allen, aged 31, by looking into the timeline of events since Sunday 25 April 2026.
Soch Fact Check went through CNN’s pages where the journalists’ covered the shooting from 25 April 2026 and is being kept up to date. There seems to be no sighting of an article or live coverage where it is mentioned of the “shooter being dead.”Hence, this part of the claim can be unsubstantiated.
The first official statement made by the authorities was by, The Federal Bureau of Investigation made a statement on 27 April 2026.The statement was made in regards to the shooting that took place on 25 April, 2025. In appreciation of the secret service and other authorities.
Soch Fact Check highlighted some of the transcription below to show how law enforcement jumped into action immediately, and debunks the claim of the shooter being killed :
“And that should be celebrated by every single American. They did exactly what they were trained to do. They stopped a massive attack from becoming even worse. They stood in the way. They safeguarded America and they should be nothing but applauded for their bravery and their dedication to their mission and their selfless sacrifice to this country. The FBI, along with standing up mobile command units, Evidence Tech Response Team and Washington SWAT on scene also established our NC3, our National Crisis Coordination Center, almost immediately. And almost immediately in parallel we stood up our command center at the Washington Field Office under ADIC Darren Cox’s leadership. Throughout the evening, we immediately began working with our Department of Justice partners to find the evidence necessary to effectuate the legal process necessary and enter into the suspect’s room at the Washington Hilton successfully and lawfully, and obtain the relevant evidence for exploitation that was on scene.”
This specific paragraph from the transcription depicts how the suspect was arrested at the moment by the FBI.
Soch Fact Check found verified real time social media posts from US President Donald J. Trump on Truth Social narrating how the accused had been “apprehended” (as seen below):
Social Media post from President Donald Trump announcing arrest of suspect
Furthermore, the posts of the suspect being dead were denied by , the President Donald Trump by releasing the official footage of the suspect being tackled, then posted by The White House a day after the event on 26 April 2026:
Screenshot of the video reposted on X by The White House
Additionally, two days ago the president posted a picture of the suspect alive and being arrested. As of 27 April 2026, the US Department of Justice confirmed that Colin Tomas Allen has been charged with attempting to assassinate the President. As presented below:
Screenshot taken from U.S. Department of Justice
The development was reported by credible news, the suspect still remains in custody.
These official sources debunk the claim that Cole Tomas Allen is dead, or that CNN ever announced in a live coverage that the shooter was pronounced dead on site.
Virality
Soch Fact Check found the claim circulating here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here on X.
Conclusion: CNN did not publish any such report. Cole Tomas Allen, who has been charged with attempting to assassinate US President Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, is not dead.
Background image in cover photo:
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