Information Regarding the Man Accused of Attempting to Assassinate President Trump at the White House Correspondents Dinner

(SeaPRwire) –   Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old resident of Torrance, California, is scheduled to appear in court on Monday. He faces accusations of attempting to assassinate President Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, according to law enforcement officials. 

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro stated that Allen has been charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assaulting a federal officer. His arraignment will take place in Federal District Court, with further charges anticipated. President Trump was unharmed in the incident.

The motive behind the alleged attack remains unclear. Reports indicate that Allen entered the Washington Hilton hotel, breached security while armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives, and then fired at a member of the U.S. Secret Service detail assigned to protect President Trump. The Secret Service member, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest, survived the shooting, as reported by The New York Times. (The Washington Hilton is the same hotel where President Reagan was shot in 1981.)

According to the BBC, Allen discharged between five and eight shots before being subdued by security personnel.

Multiple reports indicate that Allen was apprehended, taken into custody, and received medical evaluation on Saturday night. It is believed he had checked into the hotel as a guest prior to the incident.

Washington’s interim police chief, Jeffery Carroll, informed reporters that current evidence suggests Allen acted as a “lone actor, a lone gunman.”

Information regarding Allen’s background is beginning to surface from his social media accounts and statements from his neighbors.

The Associated Press reports that Allen worked as a tutor and was an amateur video game developer.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena in 2017. During his undergraduate studies, he developed a model for an improved emergency brake system for wheelchairs, according to the AP. He later obtained a master’s degree in computer science from California State University-Dominguez Hills.

• Related: Trump commented that the shooting by a “would-be assassin” highlights the need for a White House ballroom, while questions arise about security at the correspondents’ dinner.

The New York Times reported that Allen created a game titled “Bohrdom” in 2018. In an online post, Allen described the game as a “skill-based, non-violent asymmetrical fighting game loosely derived from a chemistry model that is itself loosely based on reality.” 

At CalTech, Allen was reportedly a member of the university’s student club for nerf gun enthusiasts. The New York Times also noted his involvement with the school’s Christian fellowship.

According to Reuters, Allen’s LinkedIn profile indicated his participation in a CalTech team that won a robotics competition in 2016.

Allen’s LinkedIn profile listed him as an employee of C2 Education, a provider of exam and test preparation services, for the preceding six years. The AP mentioned that he was recognized as the company’s “Teacher of the Month” at one point.

Allen was registered to vote but had no declared party affiliation.

The Times also reported, citing Federal Election Commission records, that he donated $25 to ActBlue, a Democratic political action committee that supports Democratic candidates. This donation was attributed to Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign.

President Trump shared a photograph of Allen’s arrest on Saturday night:

Neighbors of Allen in Torrance expressed surprise, stating they had observed no indications of him being dangerous. One neighbor told the LA Times, “We see them every day and we just say hi and they’re very nice. They’re peaceful people, they don’t make any noise and when they see you they say hi.”

Dylan Wakayama, who knew Allen through his tutoring of high school students involved with the Asian American Civic Trust, told The Times that his impression of Allen was that he was intelligent, quiet, and kind.

“I think all of us in Torrance would be shocked if this is the man who attempted to kill the president of the United States,” Wakayama stated.