Law enforcement officials have released details about the man arrested for Saturday’s shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, identifying him as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old California resident with backgrounds in education and technology.
Allen lives in Torrance, California, a South Bay community near Los Angeles along Santa Monica Bay. According to investigators, he was registered as a guest at the Washington Hilton, the venue hosting the annual media event, though authorities have not yet established what motivated the attack.
Social media profiles reveal Allen recently earned recognition from his employer, receiving “Teacher of the Month” honors in December 2024 from C2 Education’s Torrance location. The company provides test preparation and tutoring services for students preparing for college.
His LinkedIn account describes Allen as a “mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth.” Educational records show he completed his undergraduate studies in mechanical engineering at the California Institute of Technology in 2017, followed by a master’s degree in computer science from California State University at Dominguez Hills in 2025. Caltech confirmed that someone with that name received a degree from their institution in 2017.
Allen’s work history includes several years of part-time teaching with C2 Education while simultaneously developing games as a freelance contractor. Previously, he spent time as a mechanical engineer with IJK Controls in South Pasadena and served as a teaching assistant during his time at Caltech.
His online profile highlights a 2016 newspaper article covering a robotics competition victory by his Caltech team. Under personal interests, Allen listed only “Science and Technology” as causes he supports.
Secret Service officials report that Allen carried a shotgun when he fired at an agent outside the ballroom where the dinner was taking place. The event drew high-profile attendees including President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and multiple cabinet members before Allen was apprehended.
