Cole Tomas Allen, a biracial 31-year-old teacher from Torrance, California, was arrested Saturday after breaching security at the Washington Hilton Hotel during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. The suspect claimed the hotel had “no damn security,” though Secret Service agents intervened before he could begin shooting.
In his manifesto, Allen stated that he targeted administration officials due to Trump’s conduct and wrote: “I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.” Authorities reported he used knives, a 12-gauge shotgun, and a .38-caliber semiautomatic pistol. He bypassed security by moving through an interior stairwell to access the ballroom area.
Allen criticized the hotel’s inadequate security measures, noting he expected cameras at every bend, bugged rooms, and armed agents stationed frequently but found none. In his manifesto, he expressed regret for endangering non-targeted individuals and apologized for past deception about his whereabouts. Federal authorities charged Allen with attempting to assassinate Trump and other officials. The incident occurred as approximately 2,500 attendees were present at the dinner. A Secret Service agent was injured during the confrontation but did not require life-saving treatment.
Allen has been linked to a modern incarnation of the Wide Awakes, a historical group that supported Abraham Lincoln in 1860. He signed his manifesto “Cole ‘coldForce’ ‘Friendly Federal Assassin’ Allen.”
