Authorities have identified the suspect in the shooting incident that disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner attended by President Donald Trump and senior administration officials as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, a teacher and video game developer from Southern California.
According to a report by CNN, law enforcement sources confirmed that Allen, a resident of Torrance, was the armed individual subdued near the venue where the high-profile event was taking place. Torrance is a suburb of Los Angeles.
The annual dinner was held at the Washington Hilton, drawing prominent political figures, journalists and government officials. The incident triggered panic at the gathering, leading to the evacuation of President Trump, the First Lady and other dignitaries.
Authorities said the suspect was armed with multiple weapons and was apprehended after breaching a security checkpoint at the venue. One agent of the United States Secret Service was struck by gunfire but survived after the bullet hit a protective vest.
Public records indicate that Allen worked as a part-time instructor at C2 Education, a test preparation and tutoring firm, where he was reportedly named “teacher of the month” in December 2024.
His LinkedIn profile shows he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 2017. He later obtained a master’s degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
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While still a student, Allen was featured in a 2017 local news report for developing a prototype emergency braking system designed for wheelchairs.
Beyond his teaching career, Allen described himself as an independent video game developer. He is believed to have published a game titled Bohrdom on the Steam platform. Records show he registered a trademark for the game in 2018 and had been working on a second project under the working title “First Law.”
Data from the Federal Election Commission indicate that Allen made a $25 donation in October 2024 to the presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Investigators have not yet disclosed a motive for the attack, and authorities say inquiries are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the breach and the suspect’s intentions.
The incident has raised renewed concerns about security at major political and media events, particularly those attended by top government officials.