Authorities have identified the man allegedly arrested following a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner as Cole Tomas Allen, an independent game developer and teacher.
According to Kotaku, the 31-year-old Caltech graduate was apprehended at the scene of the incident at the Washington Hilton. Allen was reportedly carrying two firearms and multiple knives, with the suspected intent to harm President Trump.
No serious injuries were reported, though one security agent was struck by a shot at close range. The agent survived the attempt due to a bulletproof vest.
The shooting occurred at approximately 8:35 p.m. ET as Allen allegedly attempted to enter the annual event. The sudden gunfire sent attendees, primarily members of the White House press corps, diving under tables while Secret Service agents escorted President Trump to safety.
Following the incident, President Trump posted to his Truth Social platform at 9:17 p.m. ET, stating that Allen "has been apprehended." The President later described the suspect as a "lone wolf whack job."
A background in physics and games
Investigations into Allen’s background have revealed a professional history rooted in science and software. On LinkedIn, Allen describes himself as a "mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth."
Kotaku reports that Allen has one game currently listed on the Steam platform, a 2018 release titledBohrdom. The title is a multiplayer bullet-hell fighting game centered on the chemical interaction of electrons.
Upon its initial release, the game saw minimal engagement, peaking at only two concurrent players and selling fewer than 100 copies. However, following the shooting, the game's store page has seen a surge in traffic as users examine the connection to the incident.
Steam users have begun leaving sarcastic reviews on the $2 title, with over 100 reviews posted in the hours following the news.
On his LinkedIn profile, Allen noted that he "Formulated and wrote Bohrdom’s advanced 2D elastic collision physics engine, including custom collision detection functions and the capability to accurately resolve rotational components of collisions."
Allen's store page describes the game as a "skill-based, non-violent asymmetrical fighting game loosely derived from a chemistry model." He is also reportedly working on a second project under the working titleFirst Law.
