'Teacher of the month': Alleged shooter identified

Sunday, 26 April 2026 14:02

Details of the suspected gunman who shot at US president Trump at a Washington DC dinner are emerging.

The man suspected of opening fire at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner worked as a teacher and video game developer from Southern California, according to public records.

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, on the edge of Los Angeles in California was named "teacher of the month" in December, 2024, according to his employer.

Interim Washington, DC, police chief Jeffery W Carroll said the suspect was armed with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives.

EXPLAINED: What we know about the gunman accused of shooting at Donald Trump

One officer was shot, but he was protected by a bulletproof vest.

Footage shows shooter storming security

CCTV footage posted by Trump on Truth Social shows the moment the alleged shooter rushed security inside the Hilton hotel.

More than half a dozen police and Secret Service agents were manning a security station near the banquet hall.

Members of law enforcement respond during the White House Correspondents Dinner, Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The alleged shooter sprints past, armed with a long arm, before security immediately began opening fire in his direction.

"He was moving, he was really moving, and the reaction time was great," Trump told reporters.

He also posted an image without a caption, of a man being held on a carpeted floor.

"They seem to think he was a lone wolf, and I feel that too," he told reporters.

WHO'S WHO: Who was in attendance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner?

WHAT WE KNOW: Man in custody after shot fired at Trump dinner

WATCH HERE: CCTV of the moment alleged gunman bursts into hotel

LIVE UPDATES: 'Sick person': Trump says officer shot after dinner chaos

Moment alleged shooter rushed security before opening fire

"He was a guy who looked pretty evil when he was down. He was biting hard."

Another photo taken at the scene shows a man covered with a foil blanket on the floor with his hands cuffed, overseen by law enforcement officers.

Suspect worked as a part-time teacher

A LinkedIn profile matching his name and photo described him as a part-time teacher at C2 Education, a test prep and tutoring company.

C2 named Allen the company's "teacher of the month" in December 2024, according to social media posts from the company. When CNMN attempted to reach out no one answered a phone number for C2.

White House Correspondents Dinner alleged shooter

According to his LinkedIn profile, Allen graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.

He received a master's degree in computer science from California State University-Dominguez Hills last year.

Allen also described himself as a video game developer on his LinkedIn profile, and appears to have published an indie game called Bohrdom for sale on the Steam gaming platform for $US1.99.

He registered a trademark for the game's name in 2018, according to federal trademark records.

Suspect thought to have worked alone

Carroll said investigators had no reason to believe at this time that anyone else was involved.

Carroll, said that he could not say at this point what the shooter's motivation was, and that it is too soon to know who the suspect had intended to target in the shooting.

US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said the suspect is being charged preliminarily with two charges related to using a firearm and assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon, but that there will be many more charges filed "based on the information that we are learning in this very fluid situation."

Pirro said the suspect would be arraigned on Monday in federal district court.

Media have been seen at a house connected to him in the Californian city.

Trump called the shooter a "whack job," and a "sick person."

- with CNN, AP.