A man suspected of opening fire inside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has been identified by a source as a California teacher, as chilling new details emerge about the terrifying incident that unfolded inside the Washington Hilton.
According to reports, the alleged gunman is Cole Tomas Allen, 30, an educator from the Los Angeles area. Authorities have not yet officially confirmed his identity, and no motive has been publicly established.
The suspect has since been apprehended by law enforcement following the dramatic scenes that brought one of Washington’s most high-profile events to an abrupt halt.
© XDonald Trump shared an image of the man face down and later described the individual during a press conference as "a sick person — a very sick person," as he addressed the nation following the incident.
Further details about Allen’s background have now surfaced. A LinkedIn profile matching his name and photo describes him as a part-time teacher at C2 Education, a test prep and tutoring company. The organisation reportedly named him its 'teacher of the month' in December 2024, according to social media posts, though attempts to reach the company late Saturday evening went unanswered.
According to the same profile, Cole graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and later obtained a master’s degree in computer science from California State University-Dominguez Hills last year.
Federal Election Commission records also show that Cole made a $25 donation to Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign in October 2024.
© XThe President, who had been preparing to deliver remarks at the annual dinner, was swiftly escorted off stage as the chaos unfolded. At one point, he appeared to briefly stumble before being helped to his feet and rushed out by Secret Service agents.
© Getty ImagesInside the ballroom, panic spread rapidly as gunshots rang out. Veteran journalist Wolf Blitzer, who was just feet away from the alleged shooter, recounted the moment in stark detail.
"Apparently they got the gunman, he had a major weapon there, it was so worrisome. The noise was so loud," he said. "I was a few feet away from the gunman who was shooting randomly, half a dozen shots, they were so loud."
© AFP via Getty ImagesWolf described the confusion and fear as officers scrambled to protect those inside. “Next thing I knew a couple of police officers were jumping on me trying to protect me. I think then the gunman was shot, I could be wrong, but he stopped firing. It was very, very frightening.”
Witnesses reported hearing approximately six shots fired, though it remains unclear whether the suspect was targeting anyone specifically or firing indiscriminately.
© Getty ImagesIn the midst of the chaos, a spontaneous chant of "God Bless America" broke out from one corner of the room as guests took cover and the evacuation began.
Despite the severity of the incident, authorities confirmed there were no immediate reports of serious injuries. One Secret Service agent was reportedly struck in the chest but was protected by a bulletproof vest.
Senior officials including JD Vance, Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio were all safely escorted out of the venue.
© Getty ImagesOutside the Washington Hilton, the response escalated rapidly as law enforcement and Secret Service personnel flooded the area. Members of the National Guard were also deployed inside the building as part of the sweeping security operation.
Guests were eventually allowed to leave the venue but were barred from re-entering as authorities conducted a thorough search of the premises.
Images shared in the aftermath showed the suspect restrained on the ground, shirtless and pinned down by officers as additional personnel moved in to secure the scene.
© AFP via Getty ImagesQuestions remain over how the individual was able to breach security perimeters and get so close to the ballroom entrance with what witnesses described as a "major weapon."
A law enforcement official confirmed that a suspect had been taken into custody, but investigators are still working to determine whether the individual acted alone and what may have motivated the attack.
The incident has sent shockwaves through Washington, casting a dark shadow over what is traditionally a night of celebration for politics, media and public life.
