Updates on the suspected gunman at the Washington press dinner
The Washington press dinner was the scene of a serious security incident involving a suspected gunman. The man arrested at the event, which was attended by President Donald Trump, appeared in court on Monday facing multiple charges.
Details of the incident and charges
The suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was charged with attempting to assassinate President Trump and two firearms offences. Additional charges may be filed, according to Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for Washington. Allen is also charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence and interstate transportation of a firearm with intent to commit a felony.
Allen appeared in court and is due to return on Thursday to determine whether he will remain in custody. He is from Torrance, a suburb of Los Angeles, and described himself as a mechanical engineer, game developer, and teacher.
Alleged timeline and actions
Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche outlined the suspect’s movements leading up to the event. On 21 April, Allen left his home in the Los Angeles area by train to Chicago. On 24 April, the day before the dinner, he traveled from Chicago to Washington DC, checked into the Washington Hilton hotel, and stayed overnight.
On 25 April, Allen approached a security checkpoint at the event and ran through while holding a long gun. Secret Service agents heard a loud gunshot, and one agent was shot in the chest but was protected by a ballistic vest. The weapon discharged was allegedly a shotgun. Allen sustained only a scrape to his knee during the incident.
Police reported that Allen exchanged fire with security agents on a floor above the room where President Trump, members of his cabinet, journalists, and guests were gathered.
Suspect’s background and motivations
According to an affidavit, Allen sent an email to his family and a former employer shortly before the shooting. In the email, he referred to administration officials as targets, prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest, and apologized to his family, colleagues, and any strangers who might be endangered by his actions. He signed the email as “Friendly Federal Assassin’ Allen” and attached a document titled “Apology and Explanation”.
Federal campaign finance records show Allen donated $25 to a Democratic Party political action committee supporting Kamala Harris for president in 2024. US media also reported a history of anti-Trump social media posts attributed to him, including calling Trump a “villain” and a “desperate man”.
On the social network Bluesky, posts from an account reportedly linked to Allen criticized political and media figures and expressed discontent with the country’s direction.
Community and professional background
Allen’s neighborhood in Torrance was reportedly shocked by the incident. Residents described him as someone they waved to but did not know well. His home had windows covered in the garage, which neighbors had not noticed before.
On LinkedIn, Allen described himself as a mechanical engineer, game developer, and teacher. He studied mechanical engineering at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and earned a master’s degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills. He was involved in Caltech’s Christian fellowship and worshipped at a local church.
Allen was recognized as an exemplary student by a professor at Cal State and developed a game called “Bohrdom” available on the Steam platform. He was also a part-time teacher at C2 Education, a tutoring and test preparation organization, since 2020 and was named teacher of the month in December 2024.
The Torrance Unified School District confirmed that Allen has never been employed by them.
Reactions and next steps
President Trump commented that the suspect “had a lot of hatred in his heart for a while.” Authorities continue to investigate the incident, and Allen’s court proceedings will determine his custody status and any further charges.