The man accused of trying to breach security and opening fire outside the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner — while President Donald Trump was inside — has been identified as a 31-year-old California teacher and independent game developer who once donated to Kamala Harris’s campaign.
Who is Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting? | Reuters
Cole Tomas Allen, from Torrance, California, allegedly attempted to push past a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton on the evening of April 25. He engaged in a shootout with law enforcement, striking one Secret Service agent who was protected by a bulletproof vest, before being subdued. President Trump and other VIPs were quickly evacuated from the ballroom following the gunfire.
According to federal authorities and media reports, Allen is a part-time teacher at C2 Education, a tutoring company that named him “Teacher of the Month” in late 2024. He graduated from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and earned a master’s in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills, last year.
While at Caltech, Allen gained local media attention for developing a prototype emergency brake system for wheelchairs. On LinkedIn, he described himself as an independent game developer. He released a game titled “Bohrdom” on Steam for $1.99 and had been working on a second title called “First Law.” He even registered a trademark for “Bohrdom” back in 2018.
Who is Cole Tomas Allen: Profiles emerge of California teacher charged in WHCD shooting
Federal Election Commission records show Allen donated $25 to Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign in October 2024, though he was registered to vote as an independent.
Neighbors described Allen’s family as friendly and low-key. A 50-year-old man living nearby said, “They’re very kind people. They greet everyone and keep to themselves.” Another neighbor who moved in six months ago called the incident “tragic” and unnecessary in today’s world.
Authorities say Allen acted alone, and his motive remains unclear. President Trump has suggested he may have been the target, possibly linked to his policies toward Iran, but officials have not confirmed any connection to foreign conflicts or terrorism.
Allen is scheduled to appear before a federal judge in Washington, D.C., on April 27 facing charges of using a firearm in a violent crime and assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. He was reportedly carrying a shotgun, handgun, and multiple knives at the time of the incident.
The shooting has once again highlighted the intense security pressures surrounding major political and media events in the nation’s capital.