The latest on suspected shooter at White House press dinner

Multiple national media outlets are reporting that Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, is in custody in connection with the April 25 shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association' Dinner that President Donald Trump and the first lady attended.

The New York Times, CBS, the Associated Press and other outlets are reporting Allen's name, citing anonymous law enforcement officials. USA TODAY has not independently verified the suspect's name.

Suspect faces firearm, assault charges

Jeanine Pirro, U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, told reporters the suspect will be arraigned April 27 in federal district court on charges of using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. She wouldn’t rule out terrorism charges.

"If there's anything like that we will find it, and we will file it," she said.

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said the shooting suspect has been transported to the hospital and is being evaluated. A Secret Service agent struck by a round in his bulletproof vest also was transported to the hospital.

Suspect believed to have acted alone, police say

Bowser and Jeffrey Carroll, the interim chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, said the suspect in custody is believed to have been the lone gunman.

Carroll said the suspect is believed to have been a guest at the Washington Hilton, where the gala dinner was held.

President Trump, who was escorted from the ballroom after shots were heard in the lobby, told reporters that the suspect "charged 50 yards" to bypass a security checkpoint and was carrying multiple weapons.

He posted a security camera video of a person running past security and of a person pinned to the ground.

Suspect armed with shotgun, handgun, knives

FBI Director Kash Patel said the suspect was carrying a long arm. According to D.C. police, he was armed with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives.

"The evidence response unit is examining all the ballistics that were found on scene to include the long gun and the shell casings," Patel told reporters in the White House briefing room.

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the investigation is ongoing and officials are working to get search warrants.

"I promise you justice will be served," Blanche said.

Who is Cole Tomas Allen?

Allen lists his employment as a teacher in a $25 donation to Kamala Harris in 2024. He is registered to vote in California as "no party preference."

His LinkedIn profile indicates he’s been a part-time teacher at C2 Education in Torrance, California. C2 is a national tutoring and college counseling provider.

Allen posted on LinkedIn he received his bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Caltech in 2017 and his master's degree in computer science from California State University-Dominguez Hills in 2025.

Kathy Svitil, a spokesperson for California Institute of Technology, confirmed a record of an undergraduate student by the name of Cole Allen who graduated in 2017, but declined to release more information.

Lilly McKibbin, a spokesperson for California State University, Dominguez Hills, said a student named Cole Allen graduated with a master’s degree in 2025 but declined to confirm it was the suspect identified in the shooting.

“CSUDH unequivocally condemns this act of violence, as well as all forms of violence. Such acts betray our values as a university and our commitment to fostering a safe environment for our campus communities,” McKibbin wrote in an email.

In December 2024, Allen's employer C2 named him the Teacher of the Month and posted a photo on the group’s social media.

Before that job, Allen listed his employment as a self-employed video game developer. The PC game he developed was listed on the website Steam for download tied to his name.

Before that, Allen says he worked for a year as an engineer at IJK Controls based on South Pasadena. And before that he was a teaching assistant at California Institute of Technology in Los Angeles.