Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old Torrance, California resident, was apprehended outside the ballroom of the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner after allegedly opening fire. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the suspect told law enforcement he intended to shoot Trump administration officials.
Blanche cited writings by Allen and interviews with individuals who knew him in connection with the investigation. He did not specify whether Allen targeted President Donald Trump directly.
A law enforcement source indicated that Allen “was trying to just breach his way in and take whoever he could.”
Allen’s social media posts, which appear to match the suspect, show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer. A May 2025 profile photo depicts him in a cap and gown after graduating with a master’s degree in computer science from California State University Dominguez Hills. Allen earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 2017, where he participated in Christian student fellowship and a campus group that battled with Nerf guns.
