President Trump said that Secret Service agents and other law enforcement stopped the suspect following the security incident at the Washington Hilton on Saturday, April 25
The suspect accused of firing shots during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has been identified.
Law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation have identified Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, Calif., as the armed man who was taken into custody after injuring a Secret Service agent, according to Reuters, The New York Times, and CNN.
A LinkedIn profile with Allen’s name and photo refers to him as a “mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth,” the outlets reported.
He obtained a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2017 from the California Institute of Technology, followed by a master’s degree in computer science in 2025 from California State University at Dominguez Hills, according to the LinkedIn profile.
Caltech confirmed in a statement to Reuters that a person with his name graduated in 2017.
The alleged suspect’s LinkedIn profile refers to him working as a part-time teacher at C2 Education, a private test preparation and tutoring company, alongside being a self-employed game developer.
C2 Education awarded Allen “teacher of the month” in a LinkedIn post shared in December 2024.
The suspect is facing two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on federal officers, the BBC reported, citing Jeanine Pirro, US attorney for Washington.
PEOPLE has reached out to C2 Education, the California Institute of Technology and California State University for comment.
President Donald Trump shared on social media on Saturday, April 25, that Secret Service agents and other law enforcement stopped the suspect following the security incident at the annual dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., earlier in the evening.
“Quite an evening in D.C.,” Trump, 79, wrote on Truth Social. “Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely.”
“The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we ‘LET THE SHOW GO ON’ but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement,” the president continued. “They will make a decision shortly. Regardless of that decision, the evening will be much different than planned, and we’ll just, plain, have to do it again.”
In a follow-up post on Truth Social, Trump added: “Law Enforcement has requested that we leave the premises, consistent with protocol, which we will do, immediately. I will be giving a press conference in 30 minutes from the White House Press Briefing Room. The First Lady, plus the Vice President, and all Cabinet members, are in perfect condition. We will be speaking to you in a half an hour. I have spoken with all the representatives in charge of the event, and we will be rescheduling within 30 days.”
No further information about the suspect or the nature of the incident was immediately available at the time.
Live footage from the event showed Secret Service agents entering the ballroom and quickly escorting Trump out of the room as he was sitting onstage shortly after the start of the dinner.
Other prominent figures onstage, including First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, were also seen on camera being removed from the ballroom.
According to CNN, Trump was safely evacuated, as were all members of the Cabinet who were in attendance. CNN’s Wolf Blitzer said he witnessed a gunman outside the ballroom, where he was attending the dinner.
PEOPLE’s reporter inside the dinner said that attendees hid under tables shortly after the disruption occurred.
The White House and White House Correspondents’ Association did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
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