Federal authorities have identified the suspect who fired shots at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California. According to U.S. federal agencies, Allen will be charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.
Allen managed to bypass the outermost layer of security at the event, where President Donald Trump was scheduled to speak, because he was a guest of the hotel. Social media posts matching Allen's profile indicate he worked as a tutor and amateur video game developer.
Background of the Suspect
A May 2025 LinkedIn profile photo of Allen shows him in a cap and gown after earning a master's degree in computer science from California State University-Dominguez Hills. His profile also notes a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 2017, where he was involved in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that used Nerf guns. A local ABC station in Los Angeles interviewed Allen during his senior year about new technologies for aging populations, and he had developed a prototype for an emergency brake for wheelchairs.
Federal campaign finance records show Allen contributed $25 to a Democratic Party political action committee supporting Kamala Harris for president in 2024. His online resume indicates he worked for six years at C2 Education, a company providing admissions counseling and test preparation. A 2024 Facebook post named Allen as the company's teacher of the month. The company did not respond to a request for comment.
Allen also posted about developing a video game for the Steam platform based on molecular chemistry and was working on a top-down shooter game set in outer space.
President Trump's Response
President Trump shared visuals of the suspect on social media, showing him lying on the ground with his hands tied behind his back. During a press conference, Trump stated that Allen was armed with multiple weapons before being stopped by the Secret Service. 'A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, and he was taken down by some very brave members of the Secret Service. One officer was shot, but saved because the vest did the job. I just spoke to the officer, and he's doing great,' Trump said.
The president confirmed that charges would be filed soon, saying, 'I expect you will see charges filed shortly. The charges should be self-evident, given the conduct, but as you'll hear, there will be multiple charges surrounding the shooting, including possession of firearms and anything else we can get on this guy.'
Calling the suspect a 'sick person,' Trump warned that similar actions could be attempted again. 'The man has been captured. They're going to his apartment. I guess he lives in California, and he's a sick person. I said, very importantly, that we'll do it again within the next 30 days, and we'll make it bigger, better, and even nicer,' the president added.
