Former Caltech Student Identified as Suspect in White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting

A former Caltech student who spent four years studying in Pasadena was taken into federal custody Saturday after allegedly opening fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C., prompting Secret Service agents to rush President Donald Trump and other protectees from the Washington Hilton, according to law enforcement statements and multiple news reports.

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance — who graduated from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering — was subdued and arrested after charging a security checkpoint outside the hotel ballroom at about 8:30 p.m. ET, authorities said.

A Secret Service officer struck by gunfire was wearing a bulletproof vest, was transported to a hospital and was later released, authorities said. No other serious injuries were reported.

President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance were evacuated safely. In a statement posted Saturday evening, Trump praised the Secret Service and law enforcement, calling the incident an assault by a “would-be assassin.”

Allen’s ties to Pasadena stem from his years at Caltech, where he was involved with the “Blitzkrieg Bots” robotics team, which won a robotic vehicle design competition in 2016. He later completed a master’s degree in computer science at California State University–Dominguez Hills in 2025.

The U.S. Secret Service said the shooting occurred near the main magnetometer screening area outside the ballroom. “One individual is in custody. The condition of those involved is not yet known, and law enforcement is actively assessing the situation,” the agency said in an official statement.

Interim Metropolitan Police Chief Jeffery Carroll told reporters that Allen was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and several knives when he advanced toward the checkpoint. Carroll said agents confronted Allen, exchanged gunfire and tackled him. Initial reports indicate Allen had been staying at the Washington Hilton, and police have secured the room as part of the investigation.

Allen, a part-time schoolteacher and tutor at C2 Education in Torrance and an independent video game developer, is declining to answer investigators’ questions, authorities said. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced that Allen faces two counts of using a firearm during a violent crime and one count of assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon, with additional charges expected.

FBI agents and Secret Service personnel were seen Saturday night at a Torrance residence linked to Allen, according to officials. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California said the FBI was preparing to execute a search warrant connected to the incident.

Authorities have not identified a motive. Investigators said Allen made a vague reference to targeting administration officials but offered no specifics.

The White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which began at 8 p.m., was halted after the shooting. Hundreds of journalists, administration officials and guests were in attendance.