FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Messages sent before the attack shed light on the suspect's possible political motives
A day after a man opened fire during a White House Correspondents' Association dinner, authorities are analyzing a text message sent by the suspect to understand what led him from a life as a respected California teacher to a potential assassin.
“Let me start by apologizing to all those whose trust I have abused,” reads a note that authorities say was sent by the suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, Calif. According to public records, he worked part-time as a teacher and also developed video games.
The note, which Allen allegedly sent to family members before the attack, stated that he targeted administration officials and expressed political anger, adding: "I expect no apology."
According to the White House, his sister told authorities that Allen had a penchant for making radical statements as he became increasingly involved in left-wing activism in Los Angeles. She added that he had purchased guns and had begun training regularly at a shooting range.
In recent days, authorities say, that rhetoric has turned into concrete action. Allen boarded a train in Los Angeles and traveled first to Chicago and then to Washington, D.C. There, he checked into the downtown hotel where the annual dinner was being held, an event attended by President Donald Trump and other senior administration officials.
Authorities told CNN that he was armed with a .38-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a 12-gauge shotgun. Before taking action, he allegedly sent a written statement to family members, calling himself a "friendly federal assassin" and expressing views against Trump.
Then, on Saturday evening, he attempted to force his way past security measures outside the venue where the activity was taking place.
According to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, the suspect “fired multiple shots” and struck a Secret Service agent, who was wearing a bulletproof vest. The agent was wounded, but later received medical treatment and was released from the hospital. Meanwhile, Allen was neutralized and immediately arrested, while President Trump and other leaders were quickly moved to a nearby room for safety.
Authorities are now analyzing the statement sent by the suspect and his social media activity, which Trump has described as “anti-Christian.” Investigators are interviewing family members and trying to understand the factors that may have driven him to this attack.
“Ende po përpiqemi të kuptojmë motivin. Nga hetimet paraprake, duket se i dyshuari kishte në shënjestër anëtarë të administratës,” tha Blanche.
Shënimi përmban një sërë pakënaqësish të shprehura në mënyrë të përgjithshme, të cilat mund të ndihmojnë në përcaktimin e motivit. Mes tyre përfshihet zemërimi ndaj kushteve në kampet e ndalimit dhe një referencë ku Trump përshkruhet si “tradhtar”.
Sipas Prokurores Federale për Distriktin e Kolumbias, Jeanine Pirro, ndaj të dyshuarit janë ngritur dy akuza për përdorim arme zjarri dhe një akuzë për sulm ndaj një zyrtari federal me një armë të rrezikshme. Ajo nuk e bëri publik emrin e tij. Blanche shtoi se i dyshuari nuk po bashkëpunon me autoritetet.
Sipas profilit të tij në LinkedIn, Allen studioi në Institutin e Teknologjisë në Kaliforni (Caltech) nga viti 2013 deri në 2017. Gjatë studimeve, ai ishte pjesë e organizatës Christian Fellowship dhe e një klubi rekreativ të quajtur Nerf Club. Foto të publikuara në Facebook në vitin 2016 e tregojnë atë në aktivitete të kësaj organizate fetare.
Si student, ai u përmend në një reportazh lokal në vitin 2017 për zhvillimin e një prototipi të një sistemi frenimi emergjent për karrocat e invalidëve.
Ai u diplomua në vitin 2017 në inxhinieri mekanike. Më pas, gjeti punë si mësues me kohë të pjesshme në C2 Education, një kompani që ofron përgatitje për teste dhe tutorim. Sipas postimeve në rrjetet sociale të kompanisë, ai u shpall “mësuesi i muajit” në dhjetor 2024. Të shtunën në mbrëmje, askush nuk iu përgjigj telefonatave në numrin e kompanisë.
Allen deklaronte gjithashtu se punonte si zhvillues video-lojërash. Ai publikoi një lojë të pavarur të titulluar “Bohrdom” në platformën Steam, me çmim 1.99 dollarë. Sipas të dhënave federale, ai regjistroi markën tregtare të emrit të lojës në vitin 2018.
Loja përshkruhet në Steam si një “lojë luftarake asimetrike jo e dhunshme, e bazuar në aftësi, e frymëzuar lirshëm nga një model kimik që vetë është vetëm pjesërisht i bazuar në realitet”.
Në profilin e tij në LinkedIn, Allen shkruante se ishte duke zhvilluar një lojë të dytë me emrin e përkohshëm “First Law”.
Në vitet e fundit, ai ishte përfshirë në aktivizëm politik. Sipas motrës së tij, ai iu bashkua një grupi të majtë të quajtur “The Wide Awakes”, një emër që i referohet protestuesve kundër skllavërisë në vitet 1860 që mbështetën zgjedhjen e Abraham Lincoln si president.
Sipas të dhënave të Komisionit Federal të Zgjedhjeve, Allen kishte dhuruar 25 dollarë për fushatën presidenciale të Kamala Harris në tetor 2024.
Hetuesit nga Byroja e Alkoolit, Duhanit, Armëve të Zjarrit dhe Eksplozivëve (ATF) zbuluan se Allen kishte blerë armët në mënyrë të ligjshme. Më 6 tetor 2023 ai kishte blerë një pistoletë kalibër .38 në një dyqan në Kaliforninë Jugore, ndërsa më 17 gusht 2025 kishte blerë një armë gjahu kalibër 12 në qytetin e tij të lindjes, Torrance.
In both cases, the purchases required verification through the FBI to confirm that he was not wanted, was not the subject of any restraining orders, and had no criminal record.
After traveling by train from Los Angeles to Washington, he checked into the Washington Hilton Hotel, which traditionally hosts this annual event.
On Saturday evening, according to the White House, he sent a message to family members "clearly stating that he wanted to target administration officials . "
In the message, he apologized to his parents, colleagues and students, and stressed that he had not intended to specifically target law enforcement. However, he added: “I would step over most of the people here to achieve my objectives if absolutely necessary.”
He also argued that his action did not conflict with Christian values, writing: “ Turning the other cheek when someone else is oppressed is not Christian behavior; it is complicity in the crimes of the oppressor .”
The message ended with a strong expression of anger: “I feel anger thinking about everything this administration has done.”
After receiving this message, his brother contacted the New London, Connecticut, Police Department to express his concern. Other family members also contacted authorities.
Inside the hotel, the suspect managed to get past a security checkpoint outside the event hall. The injured Secret Service agent was treated and released from the hospital, according to authorities.
After the incident, law enforcement began to piece together Allen's movements and possible motives. Secret Service agents and Montgomery County police interviewed his sister in Rockville, while FBI agents stationed themselves outside a home associated with him in Torrance, a suburb of Los Angeles.
The area was cordoned off with police tape and the apartment was illuminated with floodlights. Numerous journalists gathered at the scene and media helicopters were flying overhead.
A neighbor, who declined to be identified, told CNN he wasn't sure if Allen lived at the property. He said he didn't see him often, but had been there "a few days ago." He said the suspect's father was a kind and communicative person, with whom he spoke often. /Adapted from Pamphlet /
Lini një Përgjigje