Cole Tomas Allen, the 31-year-old Caltech graduate and former 'Teacher of the Month' named as the suspect in the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting, has left those who once knew him struggling to reconcile the man they remembered with the events of Saturday night. A former student described Allen in just three words — 'completely average guy' — and called the incident 'bizarre,' saying he had shown no signs of being capable of such actions, told reporters.
George Daghlian, who participated in the Caltech Christian Fellowship club alongside Allen, conveyed his shock to the Wall Street Journal. A former volleyball teammate, speaking anonymously to NBC News, recalled Allen as a 'borderline genius' and 'super stable,' adding: 'Other people study hard. He didn't have to study. It would just come to him. He was really, really smart.'
Armed and Prepared
Allen, a resident of Torrance, California, was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives when he charged through a security checkpoint outside the Washington Hilton on the night of 25 April, where the annual dinner was being held. He purchased a 12-gauge shotgun in August 2025 and a .38-calibre semi-automatic pistol in October 2023, both legally, with the transactions processed through the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
Allen's sister confirmed to law enforcement that he stored the firearms at their parents' home, and that their parents were unaware of this. She added that Allen regularly visited a shooting range to train and was part of a group called 'The Wide Awakes.'
Manifesto Sent Before the Attack
Minutes before the incident, Allen sent a written manifesto to family members that 'clearly stated he wanted to target administration officials.' His brother notified the New London Police Department in Connecticut, who, in turn, relayed the information, but not in time to prevent the shooting.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told NBC's 'Meet the Press' that Allen stated to police he was pursuing 'administration officials' but was likely not targeting any specific individual and was acting alone. Blanche added that it 'does appear that he did, in fact, have set out to target folks that work in the administration, likely including the President.'
From Classroom to Charges
Allen's LinkedIn profile described him as a 'part-time teacher at C2 Education, a test prep and tutoring company,' where he was named 'Teacher of the Month' in December 2024. He had earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Caltech in 2017 and completed a master's in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills, in 2025.
Allen will face charges of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced. 'It is clear, based upon what we know so far, that this individual was intent on doing as much harm and as much damage as he could,' Pirro said. He is set to be arraigned in federal court on Monday.
🚨 A COLLEGE STUDENT just revealed COLE ALLEN was his HIGH SCHOOL TUTOR, and described him as “a completely average guy”
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) April 26, 2026
“Teacher of the Month”
We have a problem in our education department. pic.twitter.com/eZMjr3rvim
Agent Shot, Saved by Vest
President Donald Trump confirmed at a press conference that one Secret Service agent was struck during the shooting. 'One officer was shot but saved by the fact that he was wearing, obviously, a very good, bulletproof vest,' Trump said. 'He was shot from a very close distance with a very powerful gun.' No attendees were reported seriously injured, and Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were safely evacuated from the venue.
The attack marks one of the most alarming security breaches at a high-profile Washington event in decades. The Washington Hilton, where the shooting took place, was also the site of the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. That Allen passed through everyday life — tutoring students, winning workplace awards, completing postgraduate education — without drawing law enforcement scrutiny raises urgent questions about the detection of so-called lone-wolf threats ahead of large-scale public events.
The Washington Hilton, where Saturday's shooting took place, was also the site of the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan on 30 March 1981.
Allen is set to be arraigned in federal court on 27 April. Pirro has not ruled out terrorism charges. The FBI has asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the bureau.
