White House Correspondents Dinner shooting: suspect writings sent minutes before attack

Investigators said a California man accused of opening fire during the White House Correspondents Dinner sent writings to relatives minutes before the shooting. A law enforcement official familiar with the case said the messages suggested a political motive. The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, is accused of trying to breach a security checkpoint while carrying several weapons.

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The writings referred to the sender as a Friendly Federal Assassin and criticised Trump administration policies, the official said. The messages mentioned President Donald Trump several times, without naming Trump directly. The official said the notes also pointed to anger over recent events, including US strikes on drug smuggling boats in the eastern Pacific.

White House Correspondents Dinner investigation focuses on suspect writings

Authorities are treating the writings as key evidence of the suspect’s mindset and possible motives, the official said. Investigators are also reviewing a trail of social media posts and speaking with relatives. The official said this mix of material is among the clearest indications so far about what drove the alleged attack.

Officials also found what the official called numerous anti-Trump social media posts linked to Allen. Allen is 31 and is from California, officials said. Investigators are using those posts alongside interviews to build a timeline. They are also comparing the online material with the writings sent shortly before the shots.

White House Correspondents Dinner case tracks contacts with police and federal agents

Allen’s brother contacted police in New London, Connecticut, after receiving the writings, the official said. A police spokesperson said they contacted federal law enforcement after getting that information. Federal agents also interviewed Allen’s sister in Maryland, according to the official familiar with the investigation.

The sister told investigators Allen legally bought several weapons from a California gun store, the official said. The sister said the weapons were stored at the parents’ home in Torrance, without their knowledge. The official said the sister described Allen as prone to making radical statements.

White House Correspondents Dinner probe reviews weapons purchases and possible targets

The official and another law enforcement official told The Associated Press that Allen legally bought a.38-caliber semiautomatic pistol in October 2023. The officials said Allen bought a 12-gauge shotgun two years later. Investigators are still working to confirm how the weapons were stored and moved before the incident.

Authorities said they are still trying to determine how specific Allen’s alleged targets were. Officials said investigators are examining whether grievances focused on Trump and Vice President JD Vance personally. They are also assessing whether the anger reflected broader hostility toward the administration, the officials said.

The officials were not authorised to discuss the ongoing investigation in public. The officials spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. The law enforcement official said investigators are weighing the writings, social media posts, and family interviews together. Authorities have not yet publicly detailed any final motive or confirmed target list.

With inputs from PTI