DC-Shooting at White House Correspondents Dinner, April 25, 2026

[NuttMegg]

Have they released that?

The shots we hear being fired in the various videos aren't coming from a shotgun (pellet or slug) IMO & professional experience.

Him using a 'long gun' as described by a witness does not necessarily infer a shotgun ... just "a long gun" (ie: not a handgun they witnessed, but physically 'a long gun'). Especially so if the witness is not familiar with weapons.

"Allen purchased the shotgun he used to open fire in last night's attack in August 2025, according to two law enforcement sources, CBS News reported. He also owned another semiautomatic pistol, purchased in 2023, they said."

WHCD shooting suspect confesses to targeting 'administration officials'

Cole Allen, the suspect, did not specifically say he was targeting President Donald Trump, a law enforcement source told a major outlet, but just "administration officials."

www.themirror.com

 

[indicolite22]

Computer science professor at California State University-Dominguez Hills, Bin Tang, told press agency The Associated Press that Allen took a few of his classes and was a "very good student".

"[He was] always sitting in the first row of my class, paying attention, and frequently emailing me with coursework questions. Soft spoken, very polite, a good fellow. I am very shocked to see the news,” Tang said.

What we know about White House press dinner shooting suspect

The man arrested in the shooting at the White House correspondents' dinner, attended by US President Donald Trump, has been identified by US media as a mechanical engineer from California.

www.euronews.com

Dylan Wakayama, president of the Asian American Civic Trust, said Allen tutored several high school students who are members of the organization, a Torrance-based non-profit.

“They thought he was very intelligent, proficient in biology, mathematics and science. They thought he was on the nicer, quiet side. They were completely shocked when I told them that this all went down,” he said.

What we know about Cole Tomas Allen, Torrance teacher suspected in WHCD shooting

President Trump said the man who was arrested after a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Assn. dinner was from California. Law enforcement officials identified him as a graduate from Caltech.

www.latimes.com

 

[Vern]

I don't agree at all. I saw the vid of CA racing through the metal detectors, inside the building after reportedly assembling his weapon in an "unsecured room" located just before the detectors. And' several links have been posted, they were using copies of invitations to get through the outer rings of security outside the building.

How many levels of presidential succession were located in that room?

It's OK that we disagree.

I have seen same videos circulating and Shooter is clearly laying at the top of stairs in an upstairs lobby area with metal detector with many SS agents also located on that floor. Another video (I posted both) clearly shows even more SS agents downstairs outside the ballroom reacting at the foot of the stairs.

There are no stairs going down on the ballroom level itself (hotel layout map has also been posted showing this detail) ergo IMO the shooter was upstairs from the ballroom and not even on the same floor.

Time will tell the reality IMO.

 

[indicolite22]

Apparently the suspect lived with his family:

Colin, a 39-year-old neighbor who declined to give his last name citing privacy concerns, said the current residents of the home had just moved in six months ago.

According to a different neighbor the family was friendly:

“We see them every day and we just say hi and they’re very nice,” he said. “They’re peaceful people, they don’t make any noise and when they see you they say hi.”

What we know about Cole Tomas Allen, Torrance teacher suspected in WHCD shooting

President Trump said the man who was arrested after a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Assn. dinner was from California. Law enforcement officials identified him as a graduate from Caltech.

www.latimes.com

 

[indicolite22]

Apparently he was also an inventor. This was in 2017 (the year he obtained his mechanical engineering degree):

The clip, from ABC7 Los Angeles (KABC), shows a young Cole Allen — described as a Caltech student at the time — demonstrating a prototype wheelchair emergency brake at a tech conference focused on helping seniors.
“The wheelchair brakes tend to lock the wheels, but don’t lock the chair to the ground. But with this device, that will prevent the chair from skidding at all,” Allen said in the segment.

White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen seen on local news segment from 2017 touting his invention

A 2017 local TV news segment featuring a man identified as the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect has resurfaced online in the wake of the incident.

nypost.com

 

[Ontario Mom]

White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen admits he was targeting Trump officials: report

White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen admits he was targeting Trump officials: report

Allen, a teacher from Torrance, Calif., was identified by sources as the suspect accused of rushing a security checkpoint armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives before he was subdued.

nypost.com

…

Hoping that’s a life sentence.

Jmo

I'm just glad no one was seriously hurt, including the shooter. Such a stupid and vile thing to do.

jmo

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

Magnetometers for guests? Maybe so.

ETA: Now Trump's message is: "This is why we need the new ballroom". How about fewer galas and parties?

I wonder if King Charles will cancel his upcoming visit? I wouldn't blame him if he did.

A new ballroom won't do anything. This was a private event, not hosted by him. I think it's a good point about hotels allowing guests with these types of weapons, especially if there's an event of this magnitude already scheduled to be held within the hotel.

MOO.

 

[mickey2942]

The shooter sounds SO much like Ted Kaczynski. In a few years, he probably would have been in a cabin in Montana.

Ted Kaczynski - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Elley Mae]

WHCD gunman Cole Allen sent anti-Trump manifesto, said he wanted to take out Trump officials: ‘The Friendly Federal Assassin’

Exclusive | WHCD gunman Cole Allen sent anti-Trump manifesto, said he wanted to take out Trump officials: ‘The Friendly Federal Assassin’

Gunman Cole Allen sent an anti-President Trump manifesto to his family members about 10 minutes before opening fire at Saturday night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

nypost.com

…