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Tutor, game developer, NASA fellow: Who is White House dinner shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen
Cole Tomas Allen is a graduate of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2017.
White House shooting suspect: The suspect arrested in connection with the shooting at the White House press dinner on Saturday has been identified. Cole Tomas Allen is a 31-year-old tutor and software developer from Torrance, California, officials said. Investigators are now looking into his background and possible motive.
Allen allegedly opened fire at the Washington DC event, forcing the evacuation of attendees, including US President Donald Trump. He attempted to dash past security at the Washington Hilton before being taken down by the US Secret Service.
An officer was shot at close range but survived due to body armour. Trump, later in a press conference, said the suspect was armed with multiple weapons and is now in custody. He is expected to be formally charged on Monday.
Who is Cole Tomas Allen?
Cole Allen is a graduate of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2017, as per his online profiles. He later completed 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 that name graduated in 2017.
His profile describes him as a mechanical engineer and computer scientist by education, a game developer by experience, and a teacher by profession.
Work as tutor and educator
Allen reportedly worked for several years as a part-time teacher with C2 Education, a private tutoring and college admissions preparation company. A social media post from the company in 2024 listed him as “Teacher of the Month” at its Torrance office.
Facebook posts linked to him also show involvement in tutoring high school students preparing for college entrance exams.
A game developer and NASA fellow
Allen also worked as an independent game developer, according to his online resume. He is said to have created a video game on the Steam platform focused on molecular chemistry. Another project listed under his name was a planned “top-down shooter” style game set in space.
Before his tutoring work, he reportedly worked for about a year as a mechanical engineer at IJK Controls in South Pasadena. He also served as a teaching assistant at Caltech.
In 2014, Allen took part in a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Online activity
His online profile mentions that he participated in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that used Nerf-style games. It also includes references to a robotics competition project during his time at Caltech.
A local television interview from his college years showed him working on a prototype emergency braking system for wheelchairs.
Federal campaign finance records show he made a small donation in 2024 to a political action committee supporting Kamala Harris.
White House event shooting details
Authorities say Allen was attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel when the shooting took place. He was reportedly a guest at the venue.
The Secret Service said he was armed with a shotgun and opened fire at an agent near the ballroom area of the hotel. He was taken into custody after the incident.
The event was attended by Donald Trump, US first lady Melania Trump, vice president JD Vance, and several cabinet members.
