What we know about the suspect in the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting

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Jonathan Ernst/ReutersThe suspect in the shooting incident just outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner Saturday night is a trained mechanical engineer working as a tutor who traveled across the country to perpetrate "as much damage as he could," sources and officials said. The shooting, near the main magnetometer area for the event, sparked chaos inside the Hilton hotel ballroom, which was packed with thousands of journalists as well as President Donald Trump and members of his Cabinet. Law enforcement sources identified the suspect as Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, California. Trump, in a news conference after the incident, said the gunman was captured on surveillance video sprinting towards a Secret Service security checkpoint. Local authorities said the suspect was tackled by law enforcement after an exchange of gunfire. Interim D.C. Metropolitan Police Department Chief Jeffrey Carroll told reporters that the suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives. Carroll said the preliminary information is that he was a "lone actor." Law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation said that Allen was declining to answer questions but allegedly made some non-specific reference to targeting administration officials. Law enforcement detains a suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, in Washington, April 25, 2026.@realDonaldTrump/Truth SocialRelated'Absolute chaos': Gunman charges White House Correspondents' Dinner checkpoint with Trump insideAuthorities have not yet specified a motive in the shooting. But U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro told reporters at a press briefing Saturday night, "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." The suspect, who was taken to the hospital after he was subdued, will be arraigned on Monday, Pirro added. The suspect sustained a knee injury in the takedown, law enforcement officials said, but is expected to be OK. Pirro said the suspect is being charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. She said additional charges could follow. A Secret Service member was shot during the incident but the bullet hit the agent's protective vest, Trump said after the incident. The president said he spoke with the agent and he was in good spirits. Shortly before the White House press briefing, Trump posted a video showing agents subduing the suspect, who he said "charged a security checkpoint armed with many weapons." Security officials react as a shooter opens fire during the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, April 25, 2026.Jonathan Ernst/Reuters"He started running from 50 yards, and he was fast. He was like a blur on tape," Trump said of the suspect. Carroll told reporters that police believe the suspect fired at Secret Service agents, but that investigators were collecting shell casings and waiting on ballistics evidence to confirm. When asked if the president was the target, Carroll said it was too early to tell. "What his specific motivation was, we can't say at this point," he said. President Donald Trump speaks in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House shortly after a shooting incident at the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington, April 25, 2026, as FBI director Kash Patel, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche listen.Jonathan Ernst/ReutersLaw enforcement officials said that Allen is believed to have booked a room in the Washington Hilton, where the dinner took place, in early April. Preliminary information suggests that the suspect traveled from Los Angeles to Chicago and then on to Washington, D.C., law enforcement officials said. Investigators say they are piecing together the suspect's movements and contacts over recent days, prior to checking in to the Hilton on Saturday. Searches connected to the suspect were ongoing in Southern California and Washington, D.C., on Sunday morning, law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation told ABC News. Investigators retrieved Allen's phone and other devices and were planning to access them as soon as they secured search warrants, the officials said. An armed FBI agent stands outside the residence associated with Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the shooting incident at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, D.C., in Torrance, California, U.S., April 25, 2026.Daniel Cole/ReutersAllen is a trained mechanical engineer working as a tutor in Torrance, California, according to a LinkedIn page connected to him.  According to his LinkedIn profile, Allen graduated in 2017 from CalTech, where he listed memberships in the school's Christian Fellowship and Nerf Club. He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering before earning a master's degree from Cal State-Dominguez Hills in 2025, the profile said. Allen characterized himself on LinkedIn as an "Indie Game Developer" who created a video game he described as "a skill-based, non-violent asymmetrical fighting game loosely derived from a chemistry model that is itself loosely based on reality," according to the game's Steam page.   Allen's current employer, C2 Education, named Allen its "Teacher of the Month" last year, according to a post on LinkedIn. C2 Education and its CEO did not immediately respond to ABC News' requests for comment. Allen is not registered with any political party; his voter registration in Los Angeles County lists him as "no party preference," according to voter registration records viewed by ABC News. ABC News' Lauren Minore, Luke Barr, Nicholas Kerr, Ivan Pereira, Aaron Katersky, Josh Margolin, John Santucci, Michelle Stoddart, Lucien Bruggeman, Oren Oppenheim, Katherine Faulders and Peter Charalambous contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events The suspect in the shooting incident just outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner Saturday night is a trained mechanical engineer working as a tutor who traveled across the country to perpetrate \"as much damage as he could,\" sources and officials said. The shooting, near the main magnetometer area for the event, sparked chaos inside the Hilton hotel ballroom, which was packed with thousands of journalists as well as President Donald Trump and members of his Cabinet. Law enforcement sources identified the suspect as Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, California. Trump, in a news conference after the incident, said the gunman was captured on surveillance video sprinting towards a Secret Service security checkpoint. Local authorities said the suspect was tackled by law enforcement after an exchange of gunfire. Interim D.C. Metropolitan Police Department Chief Jeffrey Carroll told reporters that the suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives. Carroll said the preliminary information is that he was a \"lone actor.\" Law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation said that Allen was declining to answer questions but allegedly made some non-specific reference to targeting administration officials. Authorities have not yet specified a motive in the shooting. But U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro told reporters at a press briefing Saturday night, \"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.\" The suspect, who was taken to the hospital after he was subdued, will be arraigned on Monday, Pirro added. The suspect sustained a knee injury in the takedown, law enforcement officials said, but is expected to be OK. Pirro said the suspect is being charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. She said additional charges could follow. A Secret Service member was shot during the incident but the bullet hit the agent's protective vest, Trump said after the incident. The president said he spoke with the agent and he was in good spirits. Shortly before the White House press briefing, Trump posted a video showing agents subduing the suspect, who he said \"charged a security checkpoint armed with many weapons.\" \"He started running from 50 yards, and he was fast. He was like a blur on tape,\" Trump said of the suspect. Carroll told reporters that police believe the suspect fired at Secret Service agents, but that investigators were collecting shell casings and waiting on ballistics evidence to confirm. When asked if the president was the target, Carroll said it was too early to tell. \"What his specific motivation was, we can't say at this point,\" he said. Law enforcement officials said that Allen is believed to have booked a room in the Washington Hilton, where the dinner took place, in early April. Preliminary information suggests that the suspect traveled from Los Angeles to Chicago and then on to Washington, D.C., law enforcement officials said. Investigators say they are piecing together the suspect's movements and contacts over recent days, prior to checking in to the Hilton on Saturday. Searches connected to the suspect were ongoing in Southern California and Washington, D.C., on Sunday morning, law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation told ABC News. Investigators retrieved Allen's phone and other devices and were planning to access them as soon as they secured search warrants, the officials said. Allen is a trained mechanical engineer working as a tutor in Torrance, California, according to a LinkedIn page connected to him.  According to his LinkedIn profile, Allen graduated in 2017 from CalTech, where he listed memberships in the school's Christian Fellowship and Nerf Club. He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering before earning a master's degree from Cal State-Dominguez Hills in 2025, the profile said. Allen characterized himself on LinkedIn as an \"Indie Game Developer\" who created a video game he described as \"a skill-based, non-violent asymmetrical fighting game loosely derived from a chemistry model that is itself loosely based on reality,\" according to the game's Steam page.   Allen's current employer, C2 Education, named Allen its \"Teacher of the Month\" last year, according to a post on LinkedIn. C2 Education and its CEO did not immediately respond to ABC News' requests for comment. Allen is not registered with any political party; his voter registration in Los Angeles County lists him as \"no party preference,\" according to voter registration records viewed by ABC News. ABC News' Lauren Minore, Luke Barr, Nicholas Kerr, Ivan Pereira, Aaron Katersky, Josh Margolin, John Santucci, Michelle Stoddart, Lucien Bruggeman, Oren Oppenheim, Katherine Faulders and Peter Charalambous contributed to this report.