World leaders denounce violence after a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner and show support for President Trump.
The man suspected to be the gunman who opened fire at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on April 25 appeared in a Los Angeles television news report demonstrating a prototype wheelchair in 2017.
Cole Tomas Allen, who has not been identified officially by authorities but whose identity was told to USA TODAY by a federal law enforcement official familiar with the investigation on April 26, appeared in a segment on KABC-TV about a conference for inventions aimed at improving the lives of seniors.
Allen demonstrated a prototype for a wheelchair emergency brake that he developed during the segment. USA TODAY has reached out to KABC-TV for comment.
A LinkedIn account for Allen shows a post stating he received his Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 2017. Kathy Svitil, a spokesperson for the California Institute of Technology, previously confirmed a record of an undergraduate student by the name of Cole Allen who graduated in 2017, but declined to release more information.
Authorities allege that Cole charged a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton with multiple weapons before gunshots rang out, injuring one Secret Service agent. President Donald Trump attended the dinner for the first time as president. The event also saw multiple high-profile guests, including Cabinet officials and Vice President JD Vance.
Authorities say suspect not cooperating
The 31-year-old will be charged with multiple counts connected to the shooting on April 27, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on April 26.
In an interview with CBS News' "Face the Nation," Blanche said law enforcement is still collecting information about how the shooter obtained the guns found on him at the White House Correspondents' dinner, and that the suspect was "not actively cooperating" with authorities.
Blanche told "Fox News Sunday" and NBC News that investigators are searching through the suspect's emails and other writings. He did not elaborate on what authorities have uncovered so far.
A senior law enforcement official briefed on the bicoastal investigation told USA TODAY on April 26 that the FBI is leading the criminal investigation into the shooting, while the Secret Service is focusing on the behavioral profile of the suspect.
That includes what, specifically, triggered the man, what brought him to Washington and whether there may be any potential risk for follow-up attacks, as is often the case after presidential assassination attempts.
The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak officially about an ongoing investigation that involves federal authorities and police in Washington, DC and the Los Angeles suburb of Torrance, California, where the suspect was living.
The source said possible triggers being examined are the Trump administration's handling of the Iran war, rising gas and other prices or personal animosity toward the president's administration. So far, the source told USA TODAY, authorities don't know the answers to those questions. But the official said they are making progress and have obtained subpoenas and are searching for digital evidence via the suspect's phone and other electronic devices and other means.