Mentor, game developer, NASA researcher: Who is White House diner shooting suspect Cole Thomas Allen
White House shooting suspect: Suspect arrested in connection with incident Shooting at White House press dinner Saturday has been set. Officials said Cole Tomas Allen was a 31-year-old mentor and software developer from Torrance, California. Investigators are currently looking into his background and possible motives.
Allen allegedly opened fire at the event in Washington, D.C., forcing attendees, including U.S. President Donald Trump, to evacuate. He tried to rush through airport security Washington Hilton Hotel before being taken down by the U.S. Secret Service.
One officer was shot at close range but survived because he was wearing body armor. Trump later said at a press conference that the suspect was armed with multiple weapons and was now in custody. He is expected to be formally charged on Monday.
Who is Cole Thomas Allen?
Cole Allen graduated from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2017, according to his online profile. He later earned a master’s degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2025, according to a LinkedIn profile in his name.
Caltech confirmed that a person with the same name graduated in 2017.
His profile describes him as a mechanical engineer and computer scientist, an experienced game developer, and a professional teacher.
Serve as a mentor and educator
Allen reportedly worked as an adjunct instructor for several years at C2 Education, a private tutoring and college preparation company. The company’s 2024 social media post named him the Torrance office’s “Teacher of the Month.”
Facebook posts related to him also show that he is involved in tutoring high school students to prepare for the college entrance examination.
Game developer and NASA researcher
According to his online resume, Allen also worked as an independent game developer. He is said to have created a video game focused on molecular chemistry on the Steam platform. Another project listed to his name is a planned “top-down shooter” style game set in space.
He reportedly worked as a mechanical engineer for IJK Controls in South Pasadena for about a year before taking on tutoring work. He also served as a teaching assistant at Caltech.
In 2014, Allen participated in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Online activities
His online profile mentions that he participates in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that uses Nerf-style games. It also references his robotics competition project while at Caltech.
A local TV interview from his college days showed him working on a prototype of a wheelchair emergency braking system.
Federal campaign finance records show he made a small donation to a political action committee in 2024 to support Kamala Harris.
White House event shooting details
Authorities say Allen attended White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel when the shooting occurred. He was reportedly a guest at the venue.
this agent He said he was armed with a shotgun and fired at an agent near the hotel’s ballroom. He was detained after the incident.
US First Lady Donald Trump attended the event Melania TrumpVice President JD Vanceand several cabinet members.
