Live updates: Cole Allen, accused WHCA dinner gunman, was likely targeting Trump and top officials

Cole Tomas Allen, the gunman accused of opening fire outside the Hilton hotel where President Trump and the first lady were attending the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, was likely targeting Trump and other administration officials, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday.

Allen, who traveled across the country by train and was a guest at the hotel, was armed with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives when he tried to storm the event Saturday night before being tackled by the Secret Service. One Secret Service agent was shot, but he was protected by a bulletproof vest. 

Law enforcement officials who have examined the gunman’s electronic devices and his writings believe he intended to target administration members in attendance at the dinner. 

"It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president," Blanche told NBC’s "Meet the Press."

Here’s the latest: 

Who is Cole Tomas Allen? 

What we know:

Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer from southern California. 

Allen graduated with a master’s degree in computer science from California State University-Dominguez Hills, according to his LinkedIn profile. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, where he was active in a Christian student fellowship and a campus club for Nerf gun enthusiasts. He described himself on LinkedIn as a "mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth."

RELATED: Trump says WHCA dinner gunman was "lone wolf" from California

President Donald Trump released an image showing the man accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, on Saturday, April 25, 2026. (Via Truth Social)

His profile says he’s spent the last six years working for C2 Education, a company that offers admissions counseling and test preparation services to aspiring college students. A 2024 post on the company’s Facebook page listed Allen as the company’s teacher of the month.

Allen contributed $25 to a Democratic Party political action committee in support of Kamala Harris for president in 2024, according to federal campaign finance records obtained by The Associated Press. 

Police: WHCD shooter had shotgun, handgun, knives

Law enforcement expert Jamie Copenhaver joins LiveNOW's Austin Westfall to break down the information provided by the Metropolitan Police Department after a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday evening. President Trump was in attendance but evacuated and uninjured. 

Allen also shared online that he had developed a video game for the Steam platform based on molecular chemistry. A post under Allen’s name said he was working to develop a new "top-down shooter" combat game set in outer space.

According to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Allen took a train cross-country from California to Washington, DC. 

What we don't know:

It’s still unclear why Allen charged the dinner and opened fire and who was the intended target. 

What they're saying:

"He was a very good student indeed, always sitting in the first row of my class, paying attention, and frequently emailing me with coursework questions," said Bin Tang, a computer science professor at California State University-Dominguez Hills who had Allen in a few of his classes. "Soft spoken, very polite, a good fellow. I am very shocked to see the news."

DC Police: WHCD shooting suspect charged security checkpoint, armed with multiple weapons

President Trump released video on Truth Social showing the response by law enforcement as a shooting suspect charged a security checkpoint outside the White House Correspondents Dinner, where the President and many members of his cabinet were in attendance. National Security Analyst Hal Kempfer joined LiveNOW from FOX to provide context.

What is Cole Tomas Allen charged with? 

What's next:

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said preliminary charges for Allen include two counts related to using a firearm and assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon, but there will be many more charges filed "based on the information that we are learning in this very fluid situation."

President Trump speaks after shots fired at White House Correspondents Dinner

President Donald Trump held a press briefing after being evacuated from the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday night, after shots were fired near the ballroom where the event was taking place at the Washington Hilton. The President said praised Secret Service and the response by law enforcement. 

Pirro said Allen’s arraignment will take place Monday in federal district court.