The man accused of trying to breach security at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, where President Trump and other top administration officials were present, is scheduled to make his first federal court appearance.
Cole Allen, 31, is expected to be arraigned in federal court. Police have not formally named Allen as the suspect, but NPR confirmed his identity with two people familiar with the investigation who were not authorized to speak publicly. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said Allen faces charges including using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.
Authorities say the suspect charged through a security perimeter at the Washington Hilton near the ballroom where the annual event was taking place before being stopped and arrested. One Secret Service agent was struck in his protective vest and was not seriously injured. Video from the event shows Secret Service agents surrounding Trump and Vice President Vance and quickly ushering them out of the room as journalists and other attendees crouched under tables and federal officers swarmed the ballroom.
At a White House press conference after the shooting, Trump said he recognizes the dangers of the presidency. “I like not to think about it. I lead a pretty normal life, considering, you know, it’s a dangerous life. I think I’m — I think I handle it as well as it can be handled,” he said.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told NBC’s Meet the Press that investigators believe the suspect was targeting administration officials.
What happened
Just after the dinner began around 8 p.m. ET, the suspect allegedly attempted to breach a security barrier inside the Washington Hilton near the ballroom. Trump posted a video on social media appearing to show a man sprinting through a checkpoint as agents turned and pointed weapons in his direction; those inside the nearby ballroom heard muffled pops.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran said the incident showed “that our multi-layered protection works,” noting the individual who charged a checkpoint was apprehended. The Metropolitan Police Department said the suspect appeared to have acted alone, and that two firearms and multiple knives were recovered.
Trump initially said he wanted the dinner to continue but later left at law enforcement’s request; organizers said the event would be rescheduled. Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association and a CBS News journalist, called the shooting a “harrowing moment” and said the WHCA board would meet to assess what happened and determine how to proceed.
Who is Cole Allen?
Before the shooting, Allen allegedly sent family members what the White House described as a manifesto saying he wanted to target members of the Trump administration, a White House official told NPR. That official said Allen’s sister told law enforcement her brother tended to make radical statements and had hinted at a plan to do “something” to fix the world’s problems. According to his sister, Allen purchased two handguns and a shotgun that he stored at his parents’ home without their knowledge.
Details about Allen emerged in the hours after the attack. A LinkedIn page that appears to belong to him describes Allen as “mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth.” The page lists part-time work as a teacher at C2 Education, a tutoring service offering test prep; the company awarded him “teacher of the month” in December 2024. A 17-year-old former student described Allen as “quirky” and “really smart” but said he would not have expected Allen to be planning an attack.
Movses Janbazian, pastor at Pasadena United Reformed Church, said he knew Allen years ago as a “good guy” and “quiet.” Allen attended weekly services while a student at the California Institute of Technology, Janbazian said, and was friendly and courteous. The pastor said he was surprised by the news and that Allen was not involved in church activities beyond worship.
Federal Election Commission records show Allen donated $25 to the fundraising platform ActBlue in October 2024, marked for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.
NPR contributors to this report include Danielle Kurtzleben, Ryan Lucas, Lydia Calitri, Steve Futterman, Deepa Shivaram and Ava Berger.