The suspect in the WHCA dinner shooting has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.
Allen will be charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said. during a press conference.
The suspect was not struck by gunfire when the Secret Service opened fire on him at 8:36 pm on Saturday. The gunman charged a checkpoint and he was intercepted, with law enforcement exchanging gunfire. The suspect has been transported to a hospital and while a Secret Service agent was shot, he was protected by his bullet proof vest.
Allen was identified by multiple social media accounts as a teacher at C2 Education, a college test prep and tutoring organization. His LinkedIn identifies him as a game developer, engineer, scientist and teacher. He appears to have received a master's degree in computer science from California State University in 2025 with an undergraduate degree from Cal Tech. He indicates on the profile that he continues to make indie video games and that he held a research fellowship at NASA.
He was listed as Teacher of the Year with C2 Education for 2024.
Trump also released surveillance footage from the incident.
Trump spoke from the White House briefing room, still in his tuxedo, saying that the suspect came to the White House Correspondents Association dinner wiht multiple firearms before he attacked a security checkpoint. As he spoke, he was flanked by FBI Director Kash Patel, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, and Acting AG Todd Blanche. The press, which had just been at the formal dinner, attended the briefing.
It was first reported by Fox News that the shooter charged the magnetometer closest to the front door before taking a shot at a Secret Service member who was near the ballroom, before being taken down. The Secret Service agent is expected to survive, having taken a bullet in his protective vest.
Dramatic footage of the suspect being detained was posted to X Saturday night.
President Trump, Vice President Vance, and First Lady Melania were all rushed out of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday night after gunfire was heard. The incident marked the first time Trump had attended the event during his presidency.
Initially, Trump wanted to return to the event and for the event to continue. However, law enforcement determined that it would not proceed. Trump is expected to address the nation via a press conference at the White House later this evening.
The secret service provided an update Saturday evening.
Trump said that were the ballroom doors not opened, the dinner could have gone forward, but that since it was open and the room was no longer secure, the dinner had to be rescheduled. "It was a little bit different of an evening than we thought," he told press, "but we'll do it again."
Speaking from the White House, Blanche said justice would be served.
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