Gunman 'was likely targeting Trump, members of administration: US attorney general
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Gunman 'was likely targeting Trump, members of administration: US attorney general")
US President Donald Trump at a press conference in the Washington Hilton ballroom Photograph: (AFP)
There are also reports that the suspect Cole Tomas Allen assembled the weapon somewhere in the hotel, which is under investigation.
Preliminary investigations into the incident of a gunman opening fire while attempting to force his way into the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday evening, has so far revealed that the accused "was targeting members of the administration," said the acting US attorney general Todd Blanche on Sunday (April 26).
While speaking on CBS News' "Face the Nation," Blanche further said that the gunman is "not actively cooperating" and is believed to have traveled to Washington by train from Los Angeles via Chicago. Blanche too was in the Washington Hilton ballroom Saturday night with US President Donald Trump and hundreds of other dignitaries and journalists when the firing incident happened.
"We're still investigating a motive, and that's something that will necessarily take a couple of days at least," he said. "We believe he was targeting administration officials in this attack, attempted attack, but that's again, quite preliminary."
Those officials "likely" include the President, Blanche added, "but I want to wait and not get ahead of us on that."
There are also reports that the suspect assembled the weapon somewhere in the hotel, which is under investigation.
About the suspect Cole Tomas Allen
Trending Stories
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
The suspect identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, was taken into custody immediately. Authorities said publicly that Allen had a rifle and a handgun on him when they arrested him.
Records show that Allen purchased a Maverick 12-gauge shotgun in August 2025 and had purchased an Armscor Precision .38 semi-automatic pistol in October 2023.
According to officials, the suspect had no prior criminal record, and he was not on the radar of law enforcement.
The man graduated from the California Institute of Technology and initially worked as a mechanical engineer before moving into independent video game development. He later took up a part-time teaching role at a tutoring company that helps high school students prepare for college, details that were reflected on his LinkedIn profile.
