According to a report by the New York Post, the accused, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, was taken into custody following the incident near the venue of the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, which was attended by US President Donald Trump and the first lady. Authorities said he was intercepted at a security checkpoint before he could reach the ballroom, where around 2,500 guests were present.

Officials told the New York Post that Allen had shared a manifesto with family members shortly before the incident. A relative later handed over the document to police. Portions of the text have since appeared online, detailing his stated motives, intended targets and observations about security at the venue.

The document was signed: "Cole 'coldForce' 'Friendly Federal Assassin' Allen."

Stated reasons behind the attack

In the manifesto, Allen outlined his reasons for carrying out the attack.
"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. 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 behaviour; it is complicity in the oppressor's crimes."

He further wrote, "I am no longer willing to permit a paedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes."

Details of the planned execution

The manifesto also included details about how he intended to carry out the attack.
"In order to minimise casualties, I will also be using buckshot rather than slugs (less penetration through walls). 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 paedophile, rapist, and traitor, and are thus complicit), but I really hope it doesn't come to that," he wrote.

List of intended targets

The document identified administration officials as targets, arranged by seniority. FBI Director Kash Patel was specifically excluded.
"Administration officials (not including [FBI Director Kash] Patel): they are targets, prioritised from highest-ranking to lowest," he wrote.

Observations on venue security

Allen also described his observations about security arrangements at the hotel.
"The one thing that I immediately noticed walking into the hotel is the sense of arrogance. I walk in with multiple weapons and not a single person there considers the possibility that I could be a threat," he wrote.

"The security at the event is all outside, focused on protestors and current arrivals, because apparently no one thought about what happens if someone checks in the day before. Like, this level of incompetence is insane, and I very sincerely hope it's corrected by the time this country gets actually competent leadership again."

He added, "Like, if I were an Iranian agent, instead of an American citizen, I could have brought a damn Ma Deuce in here, and no one would have noticed shit. Actually insane."

Emotional response described in manifesto

The manifesto also described his emotional state.
"Oh, and if anyone is curious is how doing something like feels: it's awful. I want to throw up; I want to cry for all the things I wanted to do and never will, for all the people whose trust this betrays; I experience rage thinking about everything this administration has done," he wrote.