Cole Allen sent a manifesto to family members about 10 minutes before he opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The document outlined his chilling plan to target Trump administration officials. This attack occurred in Washington, D.C., on April 27, 2026.
Allen believed it was his duty to take action against these officials. He armed himself with a shotgun, handgun, and knives during the assault. His manifesto, which was 1,052 words long, included detailed ‘rules of engagement’ for carrying out his intentions.
Before the attack, Allen traveled from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., by train. He graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 with a degree in mechanical engineering. At 31 years old, he was known as a trained engineer and part-time teacher at C2 Education.
In December 2024, C2 Education recognized him as ‘teacher of the month.’ However, his sister reported that he had a tendency to make radical statements. A former teammate described him as a ‘borderline genius,’ making this violent turn even more shocking.
Allen purchased a shotgun in August 2025 and a handgun in October 2023. He expressed rage about the Trump administration’s actions in his manifesto. “I experience rage thinking about everything this administration has done,” he wrote.
His chilling words included an apology: “I don’t expect forgiveness, but if I could have seen any other way to get this close, I would have taken it.” Officials are still assessing the implications of his actions and the motivations behind them.
C2 Education responded by stating that “violence of any kind is never the answer.” They emphasized their commitment to education and peaceful conflict resolution. Observers now await further details as authorities continue their investigation into this tragic event.
