Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was detained after opening fire while attempting to storm a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday, where President Donald Trump was speaking.
Law enforcement exchanged gunfire with Allen, who was armed with a shotgun, handgun, and multiple knives, but he was not hit and was taken into custody; one Secret Service officer was struck by a bullet but protected by a vest and is expected to recover.
The incident which occurred at the Washington Hilton around 8:36 p.m., triggered panic as guests took cover and Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and cabinet members were evacuated safely.
During a press conference at the White House soon after the shooting, President Trump described Allen as a “sick person,” “lone wolf,” and “whack job” who “looked evil” and would spend “life in prison.” He praised the Secret Service for their response and initially suggested “Let the show go on,” though the event was ultimately canceled.
At a later press conference with Washington D.C. mayor and other officials, Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said that evidence suggests Allen was targeting administration officials, likely including the president.
U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said Allen was being charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon, with more charges expected. She emphasized: “It is clear… this individual was intent on doing as much harm and as much damage as he could.” Allen, believed to have acted alone, was arraigned on April 27, 2026, and is being held in federal custody.
Allen graduated from Caltech in 2017 with a degree in mechanical engineering and earned a master’s in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2025. He worked as a tutor at C2 Education, where he was named Teacher of the Month in December 2024.
The 31-year-old also developed a video game called Bohrdom and was involved in the Caltech Nerf Club. Despite no prior criminal record, family members alerted police in Connecticut after Allen sent a manifesto minutes before the attack, in which he referred to himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin” and expressed intent to target Trump administration officials.
Federal records show he donated to left-wing Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign and took part in 'No Kings' protests against Trump.
