Who is the California man accused of shooting at Trump press gala? Here’s what we know

An armed man accused of trying to storm the White House Correspondents’ Dinner attended by President Donald Trump is from California, news reports said.

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, is accused of trying to breach a security perimeter around the event Saturday night at the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington, D.C., The Sacramento Bee reported.

Allen reportedly shot a law enforcement agent, who was protected by a bulletproof vest, before being tackled and arrested, reports said. He was armed with a shotgun, handgun and knives.

The incident took place one floor above the ballroom where Trump and other top U.S. officials were attending the annual dinner.

Trump and other dignitaries were evacuated and the dinner was later canceled.

Here’s what we know about Allen:

Who is Cole Tomas Allen?

Allen is a resident of Torrance, which is about 30 miles south of Los Angeles.

A 2017 mechanical engineering graduate of CalTech, Allen was a member of the school’s Christian fellowship and the Nerf club, the Los Angeles Times reported.

He earned a master’s degree in computer science at Cal State Dominguez Hills in 2025, the publication said.

Allen works as a tutor and an independent video game developer. He was named teacher of the month in December 2024 at C2 Education, a college test preparation and tutoring business.

He is registered to vote with no party preference given and his only recorded political donation is $25 to ActBlue for Kamala Harris in 2024, the Los Angeles Times said.

A former schoolmate at Pacific Lutheran High School in Gardena, California, described Allen as a “borderline genius” and “super stable,” NBC News reported.

A neighbor told the network that Allen lives with his parents and drove a blue moped around his neighborhood. His firearms were purchased legally.

Police said Allen appeared to have acted alone.

Max Harris, a high school student tutored by Allen, told The New York Times that he was struggling to absorb the news.

“He seemed like a completely average guy,” Harris said. “Like, I never would have expected anything like this from a guy like him.”

What does Cole Tomas Allen’s manifesto say?

Shortly before the incident, Allen sent his family a manifesto calling himself a “Friendly Federal Assassin” and attacking Trump’s policies, although he did not name the president directly, The Associated Press said.

The manifesto, which ran more than 1,000 words, apologized to family members, co-workers, fellow travelers and even strangers for the attack, the news service said.

“The note moved between confession, grievance and farewell, with Allen thanking people in his life even as he sought to explain the attack,” the Associated Press said.

Allen also denounced Trump administration policies and suggested that he “intended to take violent action,” according to a New York Times account.

What charges does Cole Tomas Allen face?

Allen will be charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, officials told CBS News.

He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in federal court.