NASA Fellow, Highly Educated Tutor: All About Cole Thomas Allen, Trump's White House Dinner Shooter

Last Updated:April 26, 2026, 14:03 IST

Allen is a graduate of the California Institute of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2017.

White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting: The man suspected of opening fire at officers during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington DC, attended by US President Donald Trump and the first lady, has been identified as 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen of California’s Torrance.

According to authorities, Allen was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and several knives. An exchange of gunfire occurred with Secret Service and other law enforcement officers, resulting in one uniformed division officer being struck in his bulletproof vest, while no guests inside the ballroom were injured.

Jeffrey Carroll, interim chief of police for the Metropolitan Police Department, said the suspect was involved in an altercation as he tried to get into the event.

Who Is Thomas Allen?

According to several unverified social media handles and LinkedIn, Allen has been described as a mechanical engineer, computer scientist, indie game developer, and part-time teacher based in Los Angeles.

According to the online profiles, Allen is a graduate of the California Institute of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2017. He later completed a Master’s degree in Computer Science from California State University-Dominguez Hills.

He was a Caltech alumnus, associated with the university’s “Blitzkrieg Bots" robotics team that won a robotic vehicle design competition in 2016.

He also participated in a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which has led to descriptions of him as a “NASA fellow" in some reports.

Professionally, Allen worked as a mechanical engineer at IJK Controls and served as a teaching assistant at Caltech.

He was employed part-time as a teacher with C2 Education in the Los Angeles area and had reportedly been recognized as Teacher of the Month in Los Angeles County in the past.

Allen also posted that he had developed a video game for the Steam platform based on molecular chemistry. A post under Allen’s name said he was working to develop a new “top-down shooter" combat game set in outer space.

Allen is also described as a self-employed indie game developer who created games such as “Bohrdom" and “First Law."

Allen contributed $25 to a Democratic Party political action committee in support of Kamala Harris for president in 2024, according to federal campaign finance records.

‘Lone Wolf’

Trump said that he believes the suspected shooter who stormed the White House correspondents’ dinner was a “lone wolf."

“In my opinion, he was a lone wolf," Trump said, describing the man as a “whack job" and saying he felt there was no reason to believe the attack was connected to the war in Iran.

What Happened At Hilton Hotel?

Tensions gripped Washington DC’s Hilton Hotel after a gunman opened fire during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, prompting US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and others to be evacuated.

Secret Service personnel and other authorities rushed into the banquet hall as hundreds of guests took cover under tables. Shouts of “Out of the way, sir!" and calls to duck were heard. The banquet hall, where hundreds of journalists, celebrities and national leaders were waiting for Trump’s speech, was evacuated immediately.

Officials said that he has no criminal record and was not on the radar of law enforcement. Police have said the suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives.

News world NASA Fellow, Highly Educated Tutor: All About Cole Thomas Allen, Trump's White House Dinner Shooter

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