US media identifies ex-Nasa teacher as alleged shooter

Former Nasa Intern Identified in White House Correspondents' Dinner Security Incident

A 31-year-old California man has been identified by US media as the individual involved in a security incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night. Cole Tomas Allen, from Torrance, California, attempted to enter the event, which was attended by President Donald Trump. He was quickly apprehended by Secret Service officers at the entrance. Officials confirmed that he had no prior criminal record. Professional Background According to a LinkedIn profile that appears to belong to Allen, he described himself as a "game dev, engineer, scientist, teacher." He graduated with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 2017 and a master's degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2024. His most recent employment was a part-time teaching position at C2 Education, a tutoring and college test-preparation company, where he worked for six years. He was named teacher of the month in December 2024. Allen also completed a summer undergraduate internship at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena in 2014, where he contributed to planetary modeling research. He described adding modeling capability for planets around several previously excluded stars and updating chemical reaction data. He was also involved in independent game development projects, including a game called Bohrdom, described as an "atomic fighting game," released seven years ago. He listed "science and technology" as causes he was passionate about. Security Response The incident was handled swiftly by Secret Service personnel stationed at the event. One officer sustained a minor injury during the incident but is reported to be in good condition. Both Allen and the officer received medical attention at a local hospital. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed the details of the incident. Legal Proceedings Allen has been charged and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday. Officials have not disclosed a possible motive for the incident. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.