White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect slammed Trump in manifesto: Report
· Toronto Sun
A day after a man opened fire outside the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, D.C., Saturday night, more information is being uncovered about the accused gunman.
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A Secret Service officer was wounded after shots were fired when a man allegedly charged a security checkpoint outside the ballroom of the Washington Hilton, where the event was being held.
U.S. President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and various members of his administration were in attendance and were quickly whisked out of the hotel’s ballroom uninjured.
Various news outlets, citing law enforcement officials familiar with the case, have identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, Calif.
Shooter’s ‘manifesto’ obtained by media
As investigators try to figure out a motive behind the attack, the alleged gunman’s purported manifesto has been obtained by the New York Post , which was reportedly sent to his family members before the attack.
In the lengthy document, which was turned over to law enforcement officials, Allen referred to himself as the “Friendly Federal Assassin,” and said he was setting out to kill officials in the Trump administration.
He begins by apologizing to his parents, colleagues, students and the “non-targeted people at the hotel who I put in danger.”
He then goes on to explain his motives, while referring to the U.S. president without specificially naming him.
“I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes,” he wrote, per New York Post .
“Administration officials (not including Mr. Patel): they are targets, prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest,” he wrote.
Alleged attacker an educator: Reports
Allen is a California Institute of Technology graduate who recently won a “teacher of the month” award, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Allen’s LinkedIn profile said he earned a bachelor’s degree in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the university in Pasadena, The Associated Press reported.
In 2025, he earned a master of science degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills, NBC News reported.
He does not have a criminal record and is described as a “borderline genius” by a former high school volleyball teammate who spoke with NBC News.
Reports say he’s a part-time teacher, tutor and a video game developer.
Investigation in its preliminary stages
Authorities said Allen was carrying two firearms and several knives when he was tackled to the ground by law enforcement, with shots fired amid the chaos.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that Allen was likely targeting the U.S. president and members of his administration.
“From our preliminary investigation, it does appear the suspect was targeting members of the administration,” Blanche told CNN’s State of the Union Sunday morning.
He also said the suspect was not cooperating with investigators.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche tells Dana Bash the suspect in last night's White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting is not cooperating with law enforcement. pic.twitter.com/MML6Msv1SP
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) April 26, 2026
On Truth Social, Trump posted a photo Saturday night of the alleged attacker, lying on the floor with his face down and his arms tied behind his back. He also shared a video of the suspect charging through a security checkpoint at the event.
Reporter describes what happened inside ballroom
Members attending the annual media event were enjoying their meal when chaos erupted, The Associated Press reporter Anna Johnson said Saturday night.
“People were just starting to eat their salads, and perhaps moving on to the next course after that, when all of a sudden, we were being shouted at to get under the tables,” she said.
She said everyone complied with that order, while the president, vice-president and others at the head table were taken out of the room by Secret Service.
Shortly after, armed personnel came into the ballroom and began evacuating people, with priority given to cabinet members, ambassadors and other VIPs, Johnson said.
Vice-President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. were among members of the Trump administration at the event.