Who is Cole Tomas Allen? The Suspect in White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting

Officials confirmed he is in custody after gunfire caused chaos but no reported injuries

Washington: A suspect has been named in connection with the gunfire incident that disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night. Karol Markowicz, writing on X, identified the alleged shooter as Cole Tomas Allen.

She stated that the person is 31 years old, from Torrance, California, and currently in custody.

“The attempted shooter at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner is 31 year old Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, California and he is in custody,” she wrote in a post. Political activist Laura Loomer also named the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen.

Authorities confirm key details

According to CNN, law enforcement officials have confirmed that the suspected gunman is a male from California. Additional reports indicate that the suspect was swiftly apprehended following the incident, which unfolded at the Washington Hilton.

Who is Cole Tomas Allen
Cole Allen studied at the California Institute of Technology, where he completed a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2017, according to information available on his online profiles.

He later went on to earn a master’s degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2025, as mentioned on a LinkedIn profile under his name.

His profile describes him as someone trained in both mechanical engineering and computer science, with experience in game development and currently working as a teacher.

Allen is reported to have worked part-time as a tutor with C2 Education, which focuses on academic coaching and college preparation. A post shared by the company in 2024 recognised him as “Teacher of the Month” at its Torrance branch.

Alongside teaching, he has also worked independently as a game developer. His online resume mentions that he developed a video game available on the Steam platform, based on molecular chemistry.

Another project linked to his name was a planned space-themed game designed in a top-down shooter format.

Before moving into tutoring, Allen is said to have worked for about a year as a mechanical engineer at IJK Controls. He also spent time as a teaching assistant during his studies at Caltech.

In 2014, he participated in a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Emerging details suggest the suspect was detained after firing multiple shots near a security screening area, prompting an immediate response from security personnel.

The shooting caused a sudden security scare at the Washington Hilton, where the annual dinner was being held. Attendees reported hearing several gunshots, with some estimates ranging from five to eight. Officials, however, did not immediately release detailed information about the sequence of events.

The incident forced the evacuation of Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and other senior officials. Vice President JD Vance was also present and unharmed.

Trump confirms suspect in custody

Around 30 minutes after the gunfire, President Trump posted on Truth Social confirming that a “shooter has been apprehended”. Officials later reiterated that no major injuries were reported, although one officer was struck in protective gear and is expected to recover.

Investigations into the motive and circumstances surrounding the attack are ongoing, with authorities continuing to piece together how the suspect was able to access the area and carry out the shooting.

With agency inputs