The gunman accused of trying to break into the ballroom at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche revealed.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, a teacher from Torrance, California, was seen attempting to bolt past a security checkpoint while armed with a shotgun, a handgun and several knives on Saturday night.
He exchanged fire with Secret Service agents before they tackled him to the ground and arrested him. One agent was struck in his bulletproof vest and is expected to recover. No one else was harmed.
Blanche said officials believe the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington. He checked into the Washington Hilton Hotel, where the dinner was being hosted, days before the event.
Evidence found on Allen’s electronic devices and in his writings point towards the theory he intended to target administration members in attendance at the dinner.
Authorities also found anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric on his social media accounts.
‘It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,’ Blanche told NBC’s Meet the Press.
The suspect is believed to have purchased the firearms he carried within the last couple of years, Blanche said. He is not being cooperative and is expected to face multiple charges on Monday.
‘He failed,’ Blanche said. ‘Law enforcement did their jobs.’
Allen, a teacher from Torrance, California, did not say if he was targeting the president or anyone in particular, according to anonymous sources
Several Secret Service agents were seen with their guns drawn as they gave people orders
Top cabinet officials were seen getting rushed to safety by Secret Service agents. Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr and his wife Cheryl Hines are pictured getting taken to safety
Allen had told law enforcement that he wanted to shoot administration officials but did not say whether he was targeting President Donald Trump or anyone particular in the administration, CBS News previously reported, citing anonymous sources.
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner, an annual black-tie gala that brings politicians and journalists together, was barely underway when the Secret Service was forced to leap into action after a series of shots rang out.
Trump released surveillance footage of Allen, dressed in all black, sprinting inside the Washington Hilton Hotel with a gun in hand before he was rushed by armed guards.
Journalists in the room captured images of top administration officials getting rushed to safety.
Video footage showed Vice President JD Vance being frantically helped off stage by Secret Service agents as Trump and Melania ducked for cover.
Clips then showed several agents reach for the President and quickly pull him to safety.
Other images showed chaos quickly unfolding, with one picture showing House Speaker Mike Johnson being rushed out of the venue by Secret Service members.
Another image showed Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife Cheryl Hines ducking as they ran to safety.
Does the alleged motive change how YOU see this attack?
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, is thought to have been targeting members of the Trump administration when he charged into the ballroom at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night. He is pictured after he was tackled to the ground and arrested
House Speaker Mike Johnson being rushed out of the venue by Secret Service members
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were both rushed off stage from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner after gunshots were heard inside the Washington Hilton
Right behind them was Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller and his wife Katie Miller.
After everyone was rushed to safety, the president spoke at a White House press briefing in the West Wing within an hour of the violence.
‘It’s always shocking when something like this happens,’ he said. ‘I heard a noise and kinda thought it was a tray going down.’
Trump said that immediately Melania Trump recognized the sound as a ‘bad noise,’ adding that ‘it was a rather traumatic experience for her.’
‘Melania was very cognizant,’ he continued.
The President also shared his wife’s fear for his safety given the multiple assassination attempts against him.
Federal prosecutors have announced that Allen is being charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.
He is expected to be arraigned in federal court on Monday.
An agent is seen drawing his gun and shouting after gunshots were heard at the dinner
Several gunshots rang out as panicked attendees immediately ducked under their tables to protect themselves. A few journalists stayed seated or knelt, filming the chaos
If convicted, Allen could face 20 years in jail for the assault, while the weapons charges come with a minimum of ten years with a possibility of life behind bars if fired.
‘It is clear, based upon what we know so far, this individual was intent on doing as much harm and as much damage as he could,’ United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said.
‘There will be many more charges based upon the information that we are learning in this very fluid situation,’ she added.
Cops swarmed on Allen’s parents’ $877,000 home on Saturday night shortly after he was arrested.
Officials said Allen had no prior criminal record and was not previously known to law enforcement in Washington, DC.
He is one of four siblings, including two sisters, Stephanie and Arviana, and a brother, Gabriel, according to publicly available information.
Photographs circulating online showed him smiling alongside family members at graduations and gatherings.
His social media details he is highly educated and academically accomplished.
Allen earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology and a Master of Science in Computer Science from a California State University
The Allen family are seen with Allen, second from right, together with brother Gabriel, his mother Kathy, father, Thomas, and sisters Stephanie and Avriana
Harrowing surveillance footage captured the moment gun-wielding shooter Cole Tomas Allen stormed past security at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
On LinkedIn, he describes himself as: ‘A mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth.’
Allen earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology and later a Master of Science in Computer Science from a California State University.
During his time at Caltech, Allen listed his involvement in the Caltech Christian Fellowship and the Caltech Nerf Club.
More recently, Allen had been working in education. In December 2024, he was named Teacher of the Month at C2 Education, a recognition typically reserved for standout instructors.
United States Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn called Allen ‘a coward’ who ‘attempted to create a national tragedy.’
‘He underestimated the protective capabilities of the U.S. Secret Service, and was stopped at first contact,’ Quinn said before commending agents for their fast response.
