Suspect in D.C. gala shooting made 'jarring' transformation after leading Christian student group

17, Jun 2026

April 29, 2026, 6:02 PM EDT / Updated April 30, 2026, 7:23 AM EDT

As a clearer timeline emerges leading up to the chaotic shooting at a Washington, D.C., hotel where a gunman tried to assassinate President Donald Trump, the depiction of the suspect as an extremist harboring hate for Christians quickly took shape. But those who knew Cole Tomas Allen in college a decade ago say they saw the opposite: a faithful Christian who honored a strict interpretation of the Bible.

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