Details Emerge About Accused Shooter at Correspondents’ Dinner
Cole Allen, who is accused of attempting to shoot at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, hailed from a seemingly idyllic suburban family known for their academic achievements, guided by his father, a church leader.
At 31, Allen graduated in engineering from the esteemed California Institute of Technology. He is one of four siblings, all with impressive credentials, living in a well-kept home in Torrance, California.
Family members are reportedly in disbelief over his extreme anti-Trump remarks that have come to light following his alleged attack on President Trump and other officials during the lavish D.C. event on Saturday night.
His sister Brianna, 27, shared her concerns about his violent statements with federal investigators, while his brother took action by notifying authorities about a troubling manifesto Allen is said to have created on the day he tried to breach White House security, armed with a knife and a gun.
His younger brother, Gabriel, excelled at the prestigious Webb Institute in Long Island, with projects focused on naval vessel design, as detailed on the school’s website. Following graduation, he was set to work for Thayer Mayan, a maritime engineering firm.
Gabriel, who married in 2025, might be expecting a child this year, as indicated by a gift registry established just before the incident.
Among his sisters, Abrianna pursued journalism and statistics at Northwestern University, working as a reporter and contributing to the 2021 Recall Election Guide. She later took a position at the Pew Research Center as a junior engineer.
The youngest sister, Stephanie, 23, focused on physics at Harvey Mudd College and engaged in research at Stanford University’s National Accelerator Laboratory, exploring dark matter and cancer treatments.
Cole’s father, Thomas Allen, has been identified as a leader at the local Grace United Reformed Church, though the church has refrained from commenting and removed its leadership page following Saturday’s event.
In his manifesto, Cole reportedly referred to himself as a “friendly federal assassin” and appeared to harbor deep grievances. Employed at a tutoring and test prep company, C2 Education, he earned the title of “Teacher of the Month” in December 2024.
After earning his engineering degree and a master’s in computer science from Caltech in 2017, he even created and released a video game on Steam in 2018.
Max Harris, a high school senior and one of his students, expressed surprise, stating he had never noticed anything unusual about Cole, describing him as an “average guy.” Yet, beneath this seemingly normal exterior, prosecutors contend, rested a reservoir of violent sentiment towards the president and his administration.
Cole’s manifesto made alarming statements, including: “I will no longer allow pedophiles, rapists, and traitors to paint their crimes on my hands,” seemingly directed at Trump. It also included a mention of gratitude toward his family and church, alongside a theological justification for his actions against those urging pacifism.
The closing remark of his manifesto reads, “Kids, stay in school.”
