By Kristen Holmes, Casey Tolan, Alayna Treene, John Miller, Holmes Lybrand, and Kyung Lah
Officials are examining a communication sent by the alleged shooter connected to Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner incident, attempting to comprehend what supposedly drove him from being a well-regarded California educator to an attempted murderer.
“Please allow me to begin by expressing my apologies to all those whose trust I misused,” states a message that officials claim was transmitted by the accused, Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old resident of Torrance, California, who worked as a part-time educator and also created video games, as per public documents.
In the message Allen reportedly sent to relatives prior to the assault, he referred to himself as the “Friendly Federal Assassin,” expressed plans to target Trump administration officials, and shared his political frustration, stating, “I don’t expect forgiveness.”
Investigators are examining the statement that Allen purportedly sent along with his social media history — which President Donald Trump referred to as “anti-Christian” — interviewing family members and trying to understand what motivated him to allegedly execute the violent assault.
The note detailed various complaints in general terms that might indicate a motive to the authorities, including frustration over detention camp conditions and seeming to label Trump as a “traitor.”
Allen often made extreme remarks as he engaged in leftist activism in Los Angeles, obtained firearms, and started practicing regularly at a shooting range, his sister informed authorities, as reported by the White House.
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