The man who triggered chaos at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night, forcing the Secret Service to evacuate US President Donald Trump from the venue, has been identified as Cole Thomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California.

In a report by mirror.co.uk, the incident unfolded inside the Washington Hilton Hotel ballroom, where approximately 2,500 guests, including President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and hundreds of journalists, had gathered for the annual dinner.

According to police, Allen stormed through a security checkpoint and opened fire at close range on a Secret Service agent, who survived the attack thanks to a bullet-proof vest.

He was armed with multiple weapons, including a shotgun, a handgun, and knives. The suspect was tackled to the ground, was not injured, and was taken to a hospital for evaluation.

Officials believe Allen had been a guest at the hotel prior to the attack. Metropolitan Police Department Interim Chief Jeffrey Carroll confirmed that a room linked to the suspect had been secured at the property.

"We do believe he was a guest here at the hotel," Carroll said.

Trump, speaking at a press conference after being evacuated to safety, suggested Allen acted alone, calling him a "lone wolf whack job."

Officials said Allen had no prior criminal record and was not on law enforcement's radar before the attack.

What we know about the shooter

A LinkedIn profile linked to the suspect described him as a part-time teacher at tutoring firm C2 Education, which named him "teacher of the month" in December 2024.

He is also a video game developer, having previously published a game called 'Bohrdom' and indicated he was working on a second title called 'First Law'.

Allen is also highly educated. He graduated from the prestigious California Institute of Technology in 2017 with a degree in mechanical engineering and later earned a master's degree in computer science from California State University-Dominguez Hills.

He had also been featured in a 2017 local news report for developing a prototype emergency brake for wheelchairs while still a student.

Investigations are ongoing.

ID/AE