Mysterious 3-year-old X post naming “Cole Allen” ignites frenzy following Washington shooting
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A single, cryptic tweet posted nearly three years ago — containing nothing but the name “Cole Allen” — has suddenly become one of the most talked-about posts on the internet after authorities identified the suspect in Saturday night’s chaotic shooting outside the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.
The X account @HenryMa79561893, belonging to a user named Henry Martinez, was created in December 2023 and had remained completely dormant since its only post on December 22, 2023: the two words “Cole Allen.”
Cole Allen
— Henry Martinez (@HenryMa79561893) December 22, 2023
As news broke that the arrested shooter shared that exact name, the long-forgotten tweet surged to more than 11.8 million views in hours.
Thousands of users flooded the replies with memes, conspiracy theories, and dark humor, speculating about time travel, simulation glitches, and possible government foreknowledge.
Common reactions included: “Henry, the FBI would like to speak to you,” “Time travel is real,” “Glitch in the simulation,” and “What in the world.”
The shooting unfolded shortly before 8 PM ET at the Washington Hilton, where US President Donald Trump was attending the annual black-tie dinner.
According to officials and video footage released by the White House, Allen rushed a Secret Service checkpoint armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives.
He opened fire, striking one officer who was protected by a bulletproof vest. Secret Service agents and local police tackled and subdued Allen before he could enter the ballroom. No guests were injured.
Trump and First Lady Melania were quickly escorted offstage along with other senior officials. The president later described the suspect as a “lone wolf whack job” and confirmed everyone inside was safe.
Allen was taken into custody and is hospitalized pending federal charges that include assault on a federal officer and use of a firearm in a crime of violence.
Allen, a former tutor at C2 Education in Torrance and an amateur video game developer, holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Caltech (2017) and a master’s in computer science from California State University-Dominguez Hills (2025).
He had been locally recognized as “Teacher of the Month” as recently as December 2024. FBI agents were seen searching properties linked to him in Torrance on Sunday morning. No motive has been publicly released.
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner, traditionally a glitzy night of comedy and celebrity-press mingling, was abruptly disrupted for the first time in recent memory by a violent security breach.
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