The shooter at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has reportedly been identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California. US President Donald Trump revealed at a press conference that the suspect who disrupted a dinner party at Washington’s Hilton Hotel on Saturday had several weapons with him but was subdued and is in custody, Bloomberg reported.
Insinuating that the bombers were targeting the most influential people, Trump said at a White House press briefing: “A man attacked a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons and was shot down by some very brave members of the Secret Service.”
Cole Tomas was arrested after he allegedly opened fire toward the ballroom where Trump and roughly 2,500 guests had gathered around 8:30 p.m. while a salad was being served.
A federal law enforcement source confirmed that Cole Tomas Allen was a teacher in California, the New York Post reported.
Is the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooter alive?
Washington Post reporter John Hudson reported that the suspect was alive and taken to Howard University Hospital, citing statements from one U.S. official and one law enforcement official. He further revealed that a Secret Service agent was injured and is in the hospital.
Trump called the shooter a “lone wolf” and said one officer was shot but was “doing great” because he was protected by a bulletproof vest. The shooter was “taken down by some very brave members of the Secret Service and they acted very quickly,” the US president added as he suggested that other senior US officials be evacuated immediately from the event in Washington, DC.
Trump continued: “As you know, this is not the first time in the past few years that our republic has been attacked by a would-be assassin trying to kill,” adding, “In light of tonight’s events, I have asked all Americans to recommit their hearts and peacefully resolve our difference.” The US president further stated that police were searching the suspect’s residence in California.
Earlier, in a post on Truth Social, Trump said that Vice President JD Vance, First Lady Melania Trump and members of his cabinet were safe and unharmed by the open fire. He promised to headline another dinner with correspondents within 30 days and revise his prepared notes.
Cole Tomas Allen will be charged with a crime of violence
According to U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, the suspect will be charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence, in addition to one count of assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. Indicating that the suspect would be arraigned in court on Monday, she said: “This individual was intent on causing as much harm and damage as he could,” as she expected “many more charges” in the investigation.
More about Cole Tomas Allen
Eagle-eyed social media users scanned Cole Tomas Allen’s LinkedIn profile and suggested that the suspect graduated from Caltech in 2017 with a degree in mechanical engineering and received a master’s degree in computer science from Dominguez Hills in 2025 and a Research Fellowship at NASA.
LiveMint could not independently identify this development
