A 31-year-old computer scientist from California has been identified as the man accused of opening fire at the Washington Hilton Hotel during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday evening.
Cole Allen, who graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 with a degree in mechanical engineering, rushed a U.S. Secret Service checkpoint while armed with multiple weapons, according to authorities. He opened fire on a Secret Service officer, who was struck in his ballistic vest and transported to a hospital, officials said.
Background and Education
Allen had a background in engineering and game development, having created a physics-based role-playing shooter game titled “First Law” during his undergraduate years at Caltech. In the summer of 2014, he worked as a summer undergraduate research fellow at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory on astrophysics-related research.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Allen listed projects that included building offensive and defensive robotic systems while at Caltech. He later developed another physics-based video game called “Bohrdom,” described as a complex two-dimensional project released on the Steam gaming platform.
Beginning in March 2020, Allen worked for C2 Education in Torrance, California. He later enrolled at California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2022 to pursue a master’s degree in computer science, graduating in May 2025. A December 30, 2024 Facebook post from C2 Education recognized Allen as Teacher of the Month.
The Incident
Secret Service agents returned fire after Allen opened fire on an officer, officials said. Allen was not struck by gunfire but was transported to a hospital along with the injured officer.
President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and numerous Cabinet members were evacuated from the venue by the U.S. Secret Service. Attendees included Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung and FBI Director Kash Patel.
Charges and Investigation
United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced that Allen has been charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. Pirro said additional charges are expected.
Federal Election Commission records show that Allen made a $25 contribution to then-Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 election cycle.
This story has been updated. CNN’s Digital team contributed to this report.