WH Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting Suspect Cole Allen: 5 Things We Know

The suspect allegedly wrote a manifesto that was sent to family members, a White House official said.

Guests take cover after shots were fired at the Hilton Hotel where the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner was held in Washington on April 25, 2026. According to reports, President Donald Trump and other government officials were evacuated from the Hotel. Nathan Howard/Getty Images

The suspect who was arrested following a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner that President Donald Trump and other administration officials were attending was identified by a senior administration official as a California man who also wrote an manifesto.

A White House official confirmed to the The Epoch Times Sunday that the suspect had been identified as Cole Allen, of Torrance, California. The official also said Allen had allegedly written a manifesto that indicated he was targeting Trump administration officials.