Alleged gunman in White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting indentified

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, Calif., has been identified as the attacker by various outlets

Published Apr 26, 2026  •  2 minute read

Members of the press work (left) as a person in a car stops to take a picture of a home (across street, out of frame) associated with the suspected White House Correspondents' Dinner shooter in Torrance, Calif., on April 26, 2026. Photo by Patrick T. Fallon /AFP via Getty Images

A day after a man opened fire outside the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, D.C., Saturday night, more information is being uncovered about the accused gunman.

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A Secret Service officer was wounded after shots were fired when a man allegedly charged a security checkpoint outside the ballroom of the Washington Hilton, where the event was being held.

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U.S. President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and various members of his administration were in attendance and were quickly whisked out of the hotel’s ballroom uninjured.

Alleged attacker an educator: Reports

Various news outlets, citing law enforcement officials familiar with the case, have identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, Calif.

Allen is a California Institute of Technology graduate who recently won a “teacher of the month” award, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Allen’s LinkedIn profile said he earned a bachelor’s degree in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the university in Pasadena, The Associated Press reported.

In 2025, he earned a master of science degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills, NBC News reported.

He does not have a criminal record and is described as a “borderline genius” by a former high school volleyball teammate who spoke with NBC News.

Reports say he’s a part-time teacher, tutor and a video game developer.

Motive unclear

Authorities said Allen was carrying two firearms and several knives when he was tackled to the ground by law enforcement, with shots fired amid the chaos.

As investigators try to figure out a motive behind the attack, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that Allen was likely targeting the U.S. president and members of his administration.

“From our preliminary investigation, it does appear the suspect was targeting members of the administration,” Blanche told CNN’s State of the Union Sunday morning.

He also said the suspect was not cooperating with investigators.

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On Truth Social, Trump posted a photo Saturday night of the alleged attacker, lying on the floor with his face down and his arms tied behind his back. He also shared a video of the suspect charging through a security checkpoint at the event.

U.S. President shared this image on his Truth Social platform of a man who was arrested during an attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday night. Photo by Donald Trump /Truth Social

Reporter describes what happened inside ballroom

Members attending the annual media event were enjoying their meal when chaos erupted, The Associated Press reporter Anna Johnson said Saturday night.

“People were just starting to eat their salads, and perhaps moving on to the next course after that, when all of a sudden, we were being shouted at to get under the tables,” she said.

She said everyone complied with that order, while the president, vice-president and others at the head table were taken out of the room by Secret Service.

Shortly after, armed personnel came into the ballroom and began evacuating people, with priority given to cabinet members, ambassadors and other VIPs, Johnson said.

Vice-President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. were among members of the Trump administration at the event.

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