A man suspected of being the gunman who fired shots near the White House correspondents’ dinner, leading to the evacuation of Donald Trump, was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a member of a student prank group known for engaging in activities like “raiding random buildings.” The incident occurred at the Washington Hilton hotel during the annual dinner attended by 2,500 people, including Donald Trump, Melania Trump, and JD Vance. President Trump referred to the suspect as a “lone wolf whack job.”
Allen, 31, recently revealed to be a part-time teacher and a video game developer, graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 with a degree in mechanical engineering. During his time at the university, he was involved in the Christian fellowship and the NERF club, a group that used toy weapons firing soft projectiles for recreational purposes.
The Caltech NERF group, where Allen was a member in the early 2010s, engaged in activities such as modifying blasters for unique effects, mechanical enhancements, and playing various NERF games on campus. Additionally, Allen was recognized for creating a prototype emergency brake for wheelchairs during his time as a student at Caltech.
Further education saw Allen earning a Master of Science in Computer Science from California State University-Dominguez Hills. He worked part-time as a teacher at C2 Education and was awarded “teacher of the month” in December 2024. Allen was also actively involved in video game development, with one game already published and another in progress under the working title “First Law.”
The US Attorney for the District of Columbia confirmed that the suspect would appear in court on Monday to face charges related to the incident, including the use of a firearm during a violent crime. This incident marked the third time since 2024 that an individual had posed a threat to the US President in close proximity.