Cole Tomas Allen, 31, has been charged with two counts of using a firearm and one count of assault on a federal officer after shots were fired at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington, law enforcement sources said. Allen exchanged fire with security agents on a level one floor above the dinner, police said.
Allen, from Torrance, California, is a 31-year-old with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Caltech (2017) and a master's in computer science from CSU Dominguez Hills (2025), according to his LinkedIn profile. He described himself as a game developer, engineer, scientist, and teacher, and created a game called 'Bohrdom' in 2018, the New York Times reported. Allen was a member of the Caltech Nerf Club and Christian Fellowship, according to LinkedIn, and worked as a tutor at C2 Education for six years, where he was named 'Teacher of the Month', the Associated Press reported.
According to Washington interim police chief Jeffery Carroll, Allen was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives. Law enforcement intelligence profiles indicate he purchased a Maverick 12-gauge pump-action shotgun in August 2025 and an Armscor semi-automatic pistol in October 2023. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Allen traveled from Los Angeles to Washington by Amtrak and checked into the Washington Hilton as a guest several days before the attack.
Two sources told CBS that Allen told officials he wanted to shoot officials in the Trump administration. Bloomberg reported that Allen sent a manifesto to family members in which he blasted Trump as a 'traitor' and signed 'Friendly Federal Assassin'. Federal Election Commission records show Allen donated $25 to ActBlue for Kamala Harris's campaign, and research from six sources indicates he was registered to vote with no party preference. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said preliminary evidence suggests Allen was targeting administration officials, likely including Trump.
An FBI spokesperson confirmed that the FBI executed a federal search warrant at a home in Torrance believed to be Allen's residence. Nancy Castles, Red Cross spokeswoman, said the Red Cross set up an evacuation center at Carson Park due to police presence, and two houses were evacuated. Fox News reported that Allen's brother notified police in New London, Connecticut, about the manifesto.
CBS sources reported that at least five to eight gunshots were fired. Washington interim police chief Jeffery Carroll said Allen was not struck by gunfire but was taken to hospital for evaluation, and that Allen appears to be a lone actor. U.S. Atty. Jeanine Pirro confirmed that Allen is charged with two counts of using a firearm and one count of assault on a federal officer.
The exact number of shots fired remains unclear, with CBS reporting at least five to eight but other sources not specifying a number. Allen's religious background is disputed: President Trump said Allen was 'strongly anti-Christian' and 'became an anti-Christian', but Allen was a member of Caltech Christian Fellowship, suggesting he was Christian at some point. Allen's motive and intended target are also unclear; while his manifesto blasted Trump as a 'traitor' and he donated to Harris's campaign, no single clear motive has been confirmed. The condition of the injured federal officer has not been disclosed, and authorities have not indicated any additional suspects.