The suspect in the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting, identified as Cole Allen, sent a lengthy 1,052-word manifesto to family members minutes before launching the attack, detailing his motives, intended targets and operational plan.
The message, signed "Cole 'coldForce' 'Friendly Federal Assassin' Allen," began with a series of apologies. "I may have given a lot of people a surprise today… I apologize to my parents… my colleagues and students… and all the other non-targeted people… who I put in danger," he wrote, according to the New York Post. He added, "I don't expect forgiveness, but if I could have seen any other way to get this close, I would have taken it."
Targeting 'administration officials'
Allen stated that he viewed the attack as a "duty," writing he was "no longer willing to permit… crimes" by US leadership to "coat my hands." He planned to target administration officials "prioritised from highest-ranking to lowest," while explicitly excluding one official – "Mr Patel", referring to FBI chief Kash Patel. His manifesto laid out "rules of engagement," specifying that Secret Service personnel would be targeted "only if necessary," preferably "non-lethally," while hotel staff, guests and employees were "not targets at all." However, he added he would still "go through most everyone here to get to the targets if it were absolutely necessary." To "minimise casualties," Allen said he chose buckshot instead of slugs, noting it would reduce wall penetration.
Justifications and rebuttals
The document included sections addressing anticipated criticism. Responding to a religious objection, he wrote: "Turning the other cheek… is for when you yourself are oppressed… Turning the other cheek when someone else is oppressed… is complicity." He also dismissed concerns over timing and identity, stating: "This was the best timing and chance of success I could come up with," and "I don't see anyone else picking up the slack."
Final messages and security criticism
Allen ended with messages of gratitude to family, friends, colleagues and students, before launching into a critique of security arrangements at the venue. "What the hell is the Secret Service doing?… No damn security. Not in transport. Not in the hotel. Not in the event," he wrote, adding that he was able to enter with weapons without detection. He claimed that if he had been a foreign agent, he could have brought in heavier weaponry undetected. He concluded by describing the emotional toll of the act, "It's awful. I want to throw up… Can't really recommend it! Stay in school, kids."
Attack and aftermath
Allen charged a security checkpoint armed with a shotgun, handgun and knives. Law enforcement sources said Allen's brother alerted police after receiving the manifesto, while additional writings were found at his home in California and a hotel room in Washington. The attack triggered chaos at the event attended by President Donald Trump and senior officials, who were evacuated as gunfire broke out. The event was cancelled shortly after. The incident marks the latest episode of political violence in the United States, with more than 2,500 attendees present at the high-profile gala when the shooting occurred. Trump later said, "We live in a crazy world," reflecting on the incident.
