New Details On CA Man Accused Of Attacking White House Correspondents' Dinner

TORRANCE, CA — Authorities on Sunday continued to investigate the 31-year-old Torrance man, a professional tutor with a master’s degree, who attempted to storm the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday in an apparent attack on the president and members of his administration.

Law enforcement officials have identified the assailant as Cole Tomas Allen.

Assailant's Writings, Siblings Speak Out

Allen sent writings to family members minutes before the shooting, referring to himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin,” railing against Trump administration policies and signaling what investigators increasingly believe was a politically driven attack, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation told the Associated Press.

The writings, sent shortly before shots were fired at the Washington Hilton, made repeated references to President Donald Trump without naming him directly and alluded to grievances over a range of administration actions and recent events, including U.S. strikes on drug smuggling boats in the eastern Pacific, the official said.

Investigators are treating the writings, along with a trail of social media posts and interviews with family members, as some of the clearest evidence yet of the suspect’s mindset and possible motives.

Authorities also uncovered what the official described as numerous anti-Trump social media posts linked to the Allen.

Allen’s brother contacted police in New London, Connecticut, after receiving the writings, according to the official. A police spokesperson said they contacted federal law enforcement after receiving that information.

Federal agents have also interviewed Allen’s sister in Maryland, who told investigators her brother had legally purchased several weapons from a California gun store and stored them at their parents’ home in Torrance without their knowledge, according to the official.

She described her brother as prone to making radical statements, the official said.

Details Of The Attack

Allen attempted to charge into the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled to the ground in a chaotic scene that resulted in shots being fired, Trump being hurried off the stage and guests ducking for cover beneath their tables.

One officer was shot, but he was wearing a bulletproof vest and survived, according to Trump.

Authorities believe the suspect fired the shot that hit the Secret Service officer, who is expected to make a full recovery, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said.

Allen was carrying a “shotgun, handgun and multiple knives,’' according to Interim Metropolitan Police Chief Jeffery Carroll, who said that although the suspect was not struck by gunfire, he was nevertheless taken to a hospital to be evaluated.

The U.S. Secret Service stated the shooting took place near the main magnetonometer screening area, and that “one individual is in custody.’' Widely circulated images from the scene show the suspect, now identified as Allen, handcuffed and face down on a carpeted floor.

Blanche said officials believe the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington, where in recent days he checked in as a guest to the hotel.

Allen is facing two preliminary charges for using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, according to U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro. He is tentatively scheduled to be arraigned Monday.

His Torrance home was searched after FBI agents waited outside while trying to obtain a warrant after apparently being denied entry from people they talked to inside. Video from the scene late Saturday night showed a large law enforcement presence, including SWAT-type personnel and equipment outside Allen's house. Shortly before midnight, video showed agents had entered the home.

A Highly Educated Tutor

Social media posts that appear to match the suspect show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer, who graduated with a master’s degree in computer science from California State University Dominguez Hills.

Bin Tang, a computer science professor at Cal State Dominguez Hills, told The Associated Press that Allen took a few of his classes before graduating.

“He was a very good student indeed, always sitting in the first row of my class, paying attention, and frequently emailing me with coursework questions. Soft spoken, very polite, a good fellow. I am very shocked to see the news,” Tang wrote in an email.

In a statement, Cal State Dominguez Hills officials confirmed a student named Cole Allen had graduated with a master’s degree from the school in 2025 and added that the institution “unequivocally condemns this act of violence, as well as all forms of violence.”

Allen earned a bachelor’s degree in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He listed his involvement there in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that battled with Nerf guns.

Allen's online resume says he worked for the last six years at C2 Education, a company that offers admissions counseling and test preparation services to aspiring college students. A 2024 post on the company’s Facebook page listed Allen as the company’s teacher of the month.

Allen also posted that he had developed a video game for the Steam platform based on molecular chemistry. A post under Allen’s name said he was working to develop a new “top-down shooter” combat game set in outer space.

Voting And Campaign Donation Information

Allen contributed $25 to a Democratic Party political action committee in support of Kamala Harris for president in 2024, according to federal campaign finance records. He is registered to vote with no party preference, the Los Angeles Times reported.

On Instagram, the city of Torrance posted a statement from Mayor Chen saying, “Tonight, our community joins the nation in condemning the violent incident that occurred in Washington, D.C., during the White House Correspondents' Dinner.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on X to say he was “relieved everyone at the White House Correspondents' Dinner is safe tonight based on initial reports. A free press is foundational to our country. Violence is never acceptable.''

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The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this story.