Cole Tomas Allen: Former student of ‘Teacher of the Month’ describes him in 3 words after ‘bizarre’ WH dinner shooting

Cole Tomas Allen, a former educator and Caltech graduate, was involved in a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Updated on: Apr 26, 2026, 20:02:28 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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A former student of Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the White House shooting, remarked that he appeared to be an “completely average guy” who exhibited no signs of being capable of such actions.

Cole Tomas Allen speaks out after White House Dinner shooting. (X@GuntherEagleman)

"It's bizarre," the former student stated as 31-year-old Allen discharged his weapon outside the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

The Caltech graduate had recently been awarded ‘Teacher of The Month’. Allen was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and knives, and he was attending the event at the Washington Hilton where the dinner was taking place.

Also Read: Cole Tomas Allen family: Here's all we know about WH dinner shooting suspect

Cole Tomas Allen's former classmate express shock

Meanwhile, a former classmate expressed disbelief at Allen's capability to commit such an act. George Daghlian, who participated in the Caltech Christian Fellowship club alongside Allen, conveyed his shock to the Wall Street Journal.

Allen obtained a master’s degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Allen served as an educator at C2 Education, a private tutoring and test preparation organization, where he received the title of teacher of the month in December 2024, as stated in a LinkedIn post.

Speaking to NBC News, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Allen stated to the police that he was pursuing “administration officials” but likely was not aiming at any specific individual and was acting alone.

Also Read: Cole Tomas Allen makes bombshell admission on his ‘target’: He was trying to carry out ‘national tragedy’

Trump gives update on injured Secret Service agent

President Donald Trump has verified that a Secret Service agent sustained injuries during the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

In the aftermath of the gunfire at the annual press gathering in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, April 25, Trump, 79, addressed the media in a press conference regarding the identity of the suspected shooter and confirmed that one individual was hurt.

“One officer was shot but saved by the fact that he was wearing, obviously, a very good, bulletproof vest,” Trump said in a press conference. “He was shot from a very close distance with a very powerful gun.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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