Cole Tomas Allen, the 31-year-old suspect in the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting, had a history of acquiring weapons. He purchased a Maverick 12-gauge pump-action shotgun in August 2025 and an Armscor semi-automatic pistol in October 2023.
According to reports, Allen's shooting plan had been in the works for months. He traveled from Los Angeles to Washington by rail and stayed at the Washington Hilton, where the dinner was planned.
Allen reportedly sent a manifesto to family members before the shooting, targeting Trump administration officials, excluding FBI Director Kash Patel. He also mocked the hotel's 'lax' security in the manifesto.
Donald Trump, who was among the officials targeted, called Allen a 'pretty sick guy' who had been flagged to law enforcement by family members.
