The man arrested at the event attended by President Trump appeared in court on Monday.
Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California, is the suspected gunman in the April 25, 2026, shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. He was charged with attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump, using a firearm during a crime of violence, and assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.
Allen, who studied mechanical engineering at Caltech and earned a master’s in computer science in 2025, was described by former professors as soft-spoken, polite, and an exemplary student. He worked as a part-time tutor at C2 Education, where he was named teacher of the month in December 2024, and developed a video game titled “Bohrdom.” Federal records show he donated $25 to a Kamala Harris PAC in 2024, and law enforcement sources cite a history of anti-Trump social media posts, including calling Trump a “villain” and criticizing Vice President JD Vance.
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Allen traveled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago on April 21, then to Washington, D.C., arriving on April 24, and checked into the Washington Hilton, where the event was held.
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On April 25, he rushed a security checkpoint holding a shotgun, exchanged fire with Secret Service agents, and was tackled before reaching the ballroom.
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A Secret Service officer was struck in the chest but protected by a ballistic vest; Allen sustained only a knee scrape.
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Investigators found an alleged “manifesto” in which Allen referred to himself as the “Friendly Federal Assassin”, stating administration officials were targets “from highest-ranking to lowest.”
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He appeared in court on April 28, did not enter a plea, and may face additional charges; his next court date is Thursday.
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