## White House Correspondents' Dinner Attack: Suspect in Custody **Cole Tomas Allen** of Torrance, California, appeared in the US District Court for the District of Columbia on Monday, facing charges related to Saturday night's armed assault on a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh has ordered Allen to be held pending a detention hearing on Thursday. The suspect faces three federal counts: attempting to assassinate the president, transportation of a firearm in interstate commerce, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. Allen, 31, is a Caltech-trained mechanical engineer with a recent master’s degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills. He also tutored part-time and developed indie video games. A **WIRED** review of public databases revealed a minimal online presence for Allen. ## Details of the Incident The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) reported that Allen approached a Secret Service checkpoint at the Hilton hotel armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives. Agents intercepted him before he could reach the ballroom. Witnesses reported hearing several shots outside the room, prompting agents to move President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance off the stage. One agent was reportedly hit but was protected by a bulletproof vest. MPD interim chief Jeffery Carroll characterized Allen as a “lone actor” and stated he was taken to a hospital for evaluation after his arrest. ## Manifesto Sent Prior to Attack Approximately 10 minutes before the shooting, Allen allegedly emailed his family a manifesto, according to the **New York Post**. The author stated they were “no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes,” which the Post interpreted as a reference to Trump. The manifesto reportedly indicated that Allen planned to use buckshot to “minimize casualties” but would “go through most everyone here to get to the targets if it were absolutely necessary,” reasoning that attendees were “complicit.” The document also mocked the Hilton hotel’s security, stating, “I walk in with multiple weapons and not a single person there considers the possibility that I could be a threat.” ## Political Reactions Following the attack, Trump and several administration officials called for the unimpeded construction of a $400-million, 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom, a project currently facing litigation from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “This event would never have happened with the Militarily Top Secret Ballroom currently under construction at the White House,” Trump posted to Truth Social. The White House Correspondents’ Association, an independent nonprofit of journalists, hosts the dinner and is not affiliated with the White House. There is no indication they would agree to hold the event inside the executive mansion.