White House Correspondents Dinner Shooting: Suspect Identified as Cole Allen
The suspect in the shooting at the annual White House Correspondents Associated dinner has been identified as Cole Allen. He is expected to face charges related to using a firearm during a crime of violence and assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. Allen had previously donated to a Democratic Party political action committee supporting Kamala Harris's presidential campaign. The motive behind the shooting at the event attended by President Trump and first lady Melania Trump is still under investigation.
Cole Allen, a 31-year-old professional game designer from Torrance, California, holds a master's degree in computer science from California State University-Dominguez Hills and an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from California Institute of Technology. He has developed several video games that involve shooting and attacking, including "First Law" and "Bohrdom." Allen was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives during the shooting incident at the Washington Hilton.
President Trump was the first to address the media after the shooting, sharing photos of the suspected shooter restrained on the ground. The Department of Justice and FBI have not commented on the matter, and the Hill has not independently verified Allen's identity. One officer was struck during the shooting but was protected by a bulletproof vest. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.