Armed Man Opens Fire at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, Trump Evacuated

Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old California teacher and engineer, opened fire at a security checkpoint outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Washington Hilton on Saturday, targeting Trump administration officials. Allen, armed with a shotgun, handgun, and knives, exchanged gunfire with law enforcement before being tackled; one Secret Service agent was struck but protected by a bulletproof vest. President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and cabinet members were safely evacuated from the black-tie event. Allen sent family members a note 10 minutes before the attack stating he believed it was his duty to target administration officials, expressing rage about the Trump administration's actions. The Caltech graduate and former NASA intern, who had attended anti-Trump protests and donated to Democratic causes, faces federal charges including two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer.

Attack at White House Correspondents' Dinner and suspect's motives

• ▪Cole Tomas Allen's brother contacted the New London Police Department in Connecticut at around 10:49 p.m. Saturday when he received the note.
• ▪Cole Tomas Allen opened fire outside the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on Saturday.
• ▪Cole Tomas Allen wrote in his note that administration officials were targets, prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest, not including FBI Director Kash Patel.
• ▪Cole Tomas Allen sent family members a note about 10 minutes before the Saturday attack stating he believed it was his duty to target Trump administration officials.

Cole Allen's background as engineer, teacher, and 'borderline genius'

• ▪Cole Tomas Allen tutored students as recently as April 14, 2025.
• ▪Cole Tomas Allen was a member of the winning group of the 31st annual Mechanical Engineering 72 Design Competition at Caltech, which involved building robots that could play soccer.
• ▪Cole Tomas Allen is 31 years old and lives in the Los Angeles suburb of Torrance.
• ▪Cole Tomas Allen began working as a self-employed indie game developer in September 2018.
• ▪C2 Education named Cole Tomas Allen its teacher of the month in December 2024.
• ▪Cole Tomas Allen graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.
• ▪Cole Tomas Allen donated $25 to ActBlue in 2024 with the memo Earmarked for Harris for President.
• ▪Cole Tomas Allen released an atomic fighting game called Bohrdom on Steam in 2018.
• ▪Cole Tomas Allen obtained his master's of science degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills in May 2025.
• ▪Cole Tomas Allen developed a prototype emergency brake for wheelchairs in 2017.

Weapons acquisition and family's lack of awareness

• ▪Cole Tomas Allen purchased a Maverick 12 gauge shotgun in August 2025.
• ▪Cole Tomas Allen purchased an Armscor Precision .38 semi-automatic pistol in October 2023.

Federal investigation and charges

• ▪U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C. Jeanine Pirro said Cole Tomas Allen would be charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence.
• ▪U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C. Jeanine Pirro said many more charges were expected to be filed against Cole Tomas Allen.
• ▪U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C. Jeanine Pirro said Cole Tomas Allen would be charged with assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.
• ▪The FBI and Secret Service executed a search warrant at a home believed to be associated with Cole Tomas Allen in Torrance late Saturday night.

3 sources