The gunman identified as Cole Allen, accused of trying to storm the ballroom at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with guns and knives sent a disturbing anti-administration manifesto to his family members moments before the incident, the NewYork post reported.
In the message, Allen referred to himself as the “Friendly Federal Assassin” and outlined a plan targeting senior government officials. “Administration officials (not including [FBI Director Kash] Patel): they are targets, prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest,” Allen wrote in the document, which was reportedly sent about 10 minutes before the shooting to his family.
Allen’s writing included explicit and violent intent directed at the administration.
“I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes,” he wrote, referring to the president.
He also described his tactical choices, stating, “In order to minimize casualties, I will also be using buckshot rather than slugs (less penetration through walls),” before acknowledging the possibility of broader violence.
“I would still go through most everyone here to get to the targets if it were absolutely necessary (on the basis that most people chose to attend a speech by a pedophile, rapist, and traitor, and are thus complicit) but I really hope it doesn’t come to that.”
The manifesto included multiple references to Allen’s Christian faith, presented as rebuttals to anticipated criticism.
He also cited controversial political issues, including US actions against Venezuelan drug operations and immigration enforcement policies.
“Turning the other cheek is for when you yourself are oppressed. I’m not the person raped in a detention camp. I’m not the fisherman executed without trial,” Allen wrote.
“I’m not a schoolkid blown up, or a child starved, or a teenage girl abused by the many criminals in this administration. Turning the other cheek when someone else is oppressed is not Christian behavior; it is complicity in the oppressor’s crimes.”
Authorities said the document was provided to law enforcement by a relative prior to the incident.
The suspect was expected to face criminal charges on Monday from the Justice Department, whose acting leader, Todd Blanche, said the suspect traveled by train from California and checked in as a guest days earlier at the Washington hotel where the Saturday night gala dinner was held with its typically tight security.
Social media posts that appear to match the suspect show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
