TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The suspect behind the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington DC, left a manifesto outlining his intent to target members of the Trump administration, authorities said.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was arrested on Saturday night after opening fire outside the Washington Hilton Hotel, where the annual event was taking place. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were safely evacuated, while a Secret Service agent was struck by a bullet but protected by a bulletproof vest.
“At this point, it does appear he is a lone actor, a lone gunman,” said Jeff Carroll, interim chief of the DC Metropolitan Police Department, as quoted by the CBS News.
Authorities said Allen was heavily armed, carrying a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives when he attempted to breach a security checkpoint. Witnesses reported hearing between five and eight gunshots as panic spread among attendees.
US Attorney for Washington DC, Jeanine Pirro said the suspect would face charges including using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer.
“It is clear… that this individual was intent on doing as much harm and as much damage as he could,” Pirro said, adding that further charges remain possible as the investigation develops.
Writings Recovered by Investigators
Investigators later recovered written materials believed to detail Allen’s motive for the attack. According to CBS News, the documents indicate that he intended to target government officials and had planned the assault in advance.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said authorities are still examining the suspect’s intent and level of premeditation.
“There’s a lot of federal charges that could be in play… but it depends on us understanding his motive,” Blanche said.
Officials also confirmed that Allen is believed to have acted alone, though the investigation into his background and communications is ongoing.
Manifesto Sent Minutes Before Attack
Separate reports revealed that Allen had sent a lengthy manifesto to his family shortly before carrying out the attack.
According to Hindustan Times, citing US media reports, the document—more than 1,000 words long—began with apologies before shifting into political grievances and justification for the shooting.
“I apologize to everyone who was abused… and to all who may still suffer after,” Allen wrote.
He went on to express anger toward US leadership and a sense of personal responsibility, stating that the actions of elected officials reflected on him as a citizen.
The manifesto also outlined what Allen described as “rules of engagement,” identifying administration officials as his primary targets.
“Administration officials… are targets, prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest,” he wrote.
He indicated that others present at the event could be harmed if necessary, although he claimed he intended to limit casualties. Secret Service personnel, he noted, would only be targeted if required to complete his objective.
In another section, Allen attempted to justify his actions by responding to moral objections, writing, “Gotta start somewhere,” when addressing concerns about the scale of the attack.
Allen also criticized security arrangements at the venue, claiming they were insufficient for a high-profile gathering.
“I expected… armed agents every 10 feet… what I got is nothing,” he wrote, according to the report.
He suggested that security measures were focused primarily on external threats, allowing someone who checked into the hotel earlier to bypass scrutiny.
In the final section of the manifesto, Allen described his emotional condition shortly before opening fire.
“I want to throw up; I want to cry… I experience rage thinking about everything this administration has done,” he wrote.
He concluded with a message directed at his students: “Stay in school.”
Background Under Investigation
Cole Tomas Allen, an educator from Torrance, California, held degrees in engineering and computer science and had worked as a tutor. Former instructors described him as polite and academically capable.
However, authorities said his social media accounts contained anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric. Family members told investigators he had expressed increasingly radical views in recent months.
Investigators are also reviewing his electronic devices and travel history. Allen had reportedly checked into the hotel a day before the event and traveled across the United States prior to the attack.
The FBI and Secret Service continue to examine the case to determine the full motive behind the incident.
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