A major security scare unfolded in Washington, DC, after an armed man was stopped before he could reach a high-profile event attended by Donald Trump and other prominent guests.
Incident at White House Correspondents’ Dinner
The situation occurred on Saturday night at the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner, held at the Washington Hilton. Around 2500 attendees were present when security personnel intercepted a suspect before he could enter the main ballroom.
Authorities identified the man as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from California. Investigators say he had already checked into the hotel earlier and was carrying multiple weapons, allegedly with a premeditated plan to carry out an attack.
Suspect sent manifesto before attempt
Roughly ten minutes before the incident, Allen reportedly sent a document to family members outlining his intentions. The document, later handed over to police by a relative, has been described as an anti-Trump manifesto.
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He signed it using the name ‘Cole “coldForce” “Friendly Federal Assassin” Allen’ and listed several officials linked to the Trump administration as potential targets. However, he explicitly excluded FBI Director Kash Patel from the list.
In the document, Allen wrote, ‘I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes’, referring to the US president.
Contents reveal planned targeting
The manifesto suggests that government officials were his primary targets, though he indicated he might escalate further if needed. He also claimed that those attending the event were complicit simply by being present.
Allen detailed his choice of weaponry, stating he intended to use buckshot instead of slugs to limit wall penetration. At the same time, he acknowledged it could still ‘go through most everyone’ if necessary, while expressing hope it would not reach that point.
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He framed his actions as a response to what he described as injustice, arguing that ‘turning the other cheek’ applied only to personal suffering, not to wider societal issues.
Criticism of security arrangements
In the same document, Allen claimed he had been able to move within the hotel carrying weapons without raising suspicion. He criticised what he saw as gaps in security, suggesting that checks were focused mainly on arrivals and external protest activity.
According to his account, individuals who had already checked in were not subject to the same scrutiny, which he described as a serious oversight. He warned that such vulnerabilities could be exploited by more dangerous actors.
Allen even wrote, ‘If I was an Iranian agent, instead of an American citizen, I could have brought a damn Ma Deuce in here and no one would have noticed shit’, referencing a heavy machine gun.
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Family tip-off helped avert attack
The situation was brought under control after Allen’s brother alerted authorities upon receiving the manifesto. He contacted police in New London, Connecticut, triggering a rapid response that likely prevented the situation from escalating.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Secret Service, also spoke with Allen’s sister in Maryland. She reportedly told investigators that he had previously expressed extreme political views and had spoken about taking action to address global issues.
