Story perspectives

Tutor Attempts White House Dinner Breach, Shoots Officer

4/28/2026

Summary

Story summary

Cole Tomas Allen tried to breach the White House Correspondents’ dinner, was tackled, and shot a Secret Service officer expected to recover.
Allen, a 31-year-old tutor and amateur video-game developer, called himself a “Friendly Federal Assassin.”
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche reported Allen traveled by train from California to Chicago and Washington, checked into the hotel, and a judge kept him in custody after a not-guilty plea to attempted assassination.

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Story summary

Cole Tomas Allen tried to breach the White House Correspondents’ dinner, was tackled, and shot a Secret Service officer expected to recover.
Allen, a 31-year-old tutor and amateur video-game developer, called himself a “Friendly Federal Assassin.”
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche reported Allen traveled by train from California to Chicago and Washington, checked into the hotel, and a judge kept him in custody after a not-guilty plea to attempted assassination.