When shots rang out at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night, forcing US President Donald Trump to be evacuated from the White House Correspondents' Dinner, all eyes turned to the man, now in custody for the alleged offence, a 31-year-old teacher and indie game developer from Southern California named Cole Tomas Allen.
Allen, reportedly a resident of Torrance, a coastal town in the South Bay area of Los Angeles, cuts an unlikely profile for a suspected gunman. His LinkedIn page describes him as a "mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth."
An Educated, Unremarkable Background
Allen's academic record is impressive by any measure. As per his LinkedIn profile, he graduated from the prestigious California Institute of Technology in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, which is also confirmed by Caltech in a LinkedIn post, before going on to earn a master's degree in computer science from California State University at Dominguez Hills in 2025.
ALSO READ: Donald Trump White House Shooting: Everything You Need To Know
His work history, as listed on LinkedIn, is equally ordinary. He served as a teaching assistant at Caltech, then worked briefly as a mechanical engineer at IJK Controls in South Pasadena. Most recently, he taught part-time at C2 Education, a test-prep and tutoring firm, which had, reportedly, named him its "teacher of the month" in December 2024. He also identified himself as a self-employed video game developer. Under the "Causes" section of his profile, he listed just two words: "Science and Technology.
The Night of the Incident
Police believe Allen was a guest at the Washington Hilton the night of the dinner. He charged the security checkpoint armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives, and exchanged fire with law enforcement before being taken into custody, according to Interim Metropolitan Police Chief Jeffery Carroll. A Secret Service agent was shot but survived, the bullet having struck their protective vest.
ALSO READ: Trump Shrugs Off Shooting Scare, Says "Impactful People" Are Targeted
Trump, speaking at the White House afterwards, called Allen "a sick person." No motive has been determined so far, Reuters reported. Allen faces charges of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, according to US Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
