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POLITICO Politics1 min read
What we know about press dinner shooting suspect
TL;DR
Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California, was arrested after shots were fired at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. He allegedly expressed a desire to shoot officials in the Trump administration during the incident.
Key points
- Cole Tomas Allen arrested after shooting at press dinner
- Suspect expressed intent to shoot Trump administration officials
- Five to eight gunshots fired during the incident
Mentioned in this story
Cole Tomas AllenTrump administrationWashington Hilton hotel
The man arrested after shots were fired inside the hotel where the White House Correspondents' Dinner was being held on Saturday night has been named to the BBC's US news partner CBS by law enforcement sources as Cole Tomas Allen.
The 31-year-old suspect is from Torrance in the Los Angeles region, California.
After he was detained by security agents inside the Washington Hilton hotel he told law enforcement officials he wanted to shoot officials in the Trump administration, two sources told CBS.
Citing the sources, CBS also said that at least five to eight gunshots were fired during the incident. CCTV footage posted by Trump shows a person rushing past security officers, who then turn and chase him.
At a late night press conference, police said that security officials and the suspect exchanged fire, without saying how many shots were fired.
Washington interim police chief Jeffery Carroll said the suspect was not struck by gunfire but was taken to hospital for evaluation.
The suspect was a guest at the Washington Hilton hotel where the correspondents' dinner was taking place, Carroll said, adding that he was "armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives".
"At this point, it does appear he is a lone actor, a lone gunman," the police chief said.
Trump later posted a close-up photo shows a shirtless man on the floor with his hands cuffed behind his back with Secret Service standing around him.
Pictures later emerged showing FBI agents and police searching an area at a California address believed to be linked to the alleged gunman.
He worked for a tutoring firm in Torrance called C2 Education, two law enforcement sources confirmed to CBS. In December 2024, he received a "Teacher of the Month" award from the company.
It was unclear if he was still employed by the company. The Torrance Unified School District told CBS in a statement that Allen has never been an employee of their district.
The California Institute of Technology confirmed to CBS in an email that Allen graduated from Caltech in 2017, but provided no further details.
Jeanine Pirro, US attorney for Washington, said the suspect was facing two counts for using firearm during crime of violence and assault on federal officers using dangerous weapon.
She added that he would be formally charged on Monday in federal court.
Q&A
Who is Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the press dinner shooting?
Cole Tomas Allen is a 31-year-old man from Torrance, California, arrested for firing shots at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
What did the suspect say about his intentions during the shooting?
The suspect reportedly told law enforcement officials that he wanted to shoot officials in the Trump administration.
How many shots were fired during the incident at the hotel?
At least five to eight gunshots were fired during the incident at the Washington Hilton hotel.
