The man arrested at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting on Saturday night has been identified by law enforcement as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California.
Background
Allen graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He completed a master’s degree in computer science at California State University, Dominguez Hills, in 2025. His LinkedIn profile listed him as a part-time teacher at C2 Education, a test-preparation and tutoring company, where he was named “teacher of the month” in December 2024. He also identified himself as an indie video-game developer and had published a game titled “Bohrdom” on the Steam platform.
Weapons and Approach
Metropolitan police described Allen as armed with three categories of weapon when he reached the Washington Hilton on Saturday night – a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives. He charged from approximately fifty yards toward the ballroom entrance, passing through a magnetometer screening area, before being intercepted by Secret Service personnel. He never entered the ballroom. One Secret Service agent was struck at close range and survived because he was wearing protective body armour.
Movements
Investigators have traced Allen’s movements from Los Angeles to Chicago and then to Washington, D.C., in the days before the incident.
Political Markers
Federal Election Commission records show Allen made a single $25 donation to the Kamala Harris presidential campaign in October 2024. California voter registration records list him as “no party preference.” No manifesto, social-media declaration or political statement has been released by investigators or surfaced publicly as of Sunday morning.
Charges
US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced that Allen has been charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of assault on an officer using a dangerous weapon. Federal investigators have not publicly stated a motive.
Trump’s Comments
President Donald Trump, speaking from the White House later Saturday night, described Allen as “a very sick person… a lone wolf, a whack job,” said he believed the suspect had acted alone, and confirmed that the wounded Secret Service agent was “in good condition.” Trump linked the incident to the two earlier attempts on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania, and Palm Beach, Florida.
Outstanding Questions
Investigators have not addressed how Allen reached the magnetometer area armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives. The motive remains officially unknown. The investigation is ongoing.
