Classmate Recalls Trump Shooter as Diligent Student Who Played Along
Ex-classmate tells NDTV Trump shooter studied hard, played with classmates.
A former classmate of Cole Tomas Allen, the man accused in a shooting incident at an event attended by Donald Trump, has described him as “calm and quiet,” expressing shock at the allegations as the case moves through the US legal system.
Speaking to NDTV, Elizabeth Terlinden said she initially believed the reports referred to someone else with the same name. “I thought it might be a case of mistaken identity,” she said, adding that she later realised the accused was indeed her former classmate. The revelation, she noted, was difficult to reconcile with her memories of him.
Terlinden recalled that during their time studying together, Allen maintained a low profile and was known for being even-tempered. “He was very calm and quiet… studied hard, played around with us,” she said, pushing back against speculation that he may have been radicalised during his time at the California Institute of Technology. According to her, such claims do not align with what she observed firsthand.
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On his political views, Terlinden said she knew Allen through the Caltech Christian Fellowship and that their differences were limited. She recounted that Allen once felt she devoted “too much time” to politics rather than religion, framing it as a matter of priorities rather than ideology. “He felt that I was focusing too much on this world and not enough on the next,” she said.
Allen, 31, was arraigned in a federal court on Saturday on charges including attempting to assassinate the US president, along with two firearms-related offences. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment. Authorities have not publicly disclosed a detailed motive, and investigations remain ongoing.
The incident occurred during the White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Washington Hilton, where Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and several senior officials and journalists were in attendance. Officials said Allen allegedly bypassed security and fired shots while approaching the venue, before being apprehended by law enforcement. Both the president and vice president were safely evacuated, and security protocols at high-profile political gatherings are expected to face renewed scrutiny in the aftermath.
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