Who was the gunman at the Trump dinner? Everything we know so far about the 'would-be assassin'

Who is the suspected attacker?

The "would-be assassin" has been named by US media as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen - but police haven't yet identified the alleged gunman officially

Allen is reportedly from Torrance, California, located in the south-western suburbs of Los Angeles.

LBC understands that Allen graduated from the highly regarded California Institute of Technology, after which he then worked as a tutor in Torrance.

Officials have said he has no criminal record and was not on the radar of law enforcement.

At a White House news conference after the incident, President Trump described the suspect as a "lone wolf whack job".

How did he get into the event?

Police are still looking to gain more information into how Allen gained access to the event.

Officers have said he was a guest at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the dinner was taking place - this would explain how he bypassed a police cordon shutting off the road to the public.

Blurry CCTV footage posted online by President Trump shows a man, understood to be Allen, sprinting through the metal detectors of the checkpoint just outside the ballroom of Washington Hilton hotel.

Officers are seen immediately racing toward him with their guns drawn.

Allen was carrying multiple weapons, including guns and knives, at the time of his arrest.

Authorities have confirmed that one of the shots fired hit a uniformed officer who was wearing body armour.

The US secret service agent is in hospital and receiving treatment for his injuries, which are not understood to be severe.

Why did he do it?

American outlets are claiming that the alleged gunman had told authorities he was targeting officials linked to US President Donald Trump.

LBC has not independently confirmed this. Official statements from police say the motive for the attack currently remains unclear.

Donald Trump spoke to Fox News after the shooting and was asked if he knew about the suspected gunman. Mr Trump responded that Allen has "got some big problems, it's a very bad situation" after reading his manifesto.

"His family knew he had difficulty", Mr Trump said.

The New York Post reports that Allen sent an anti-Trump manifesto to his family members 10 minutes before opening fire at the dinner.

The newspaper published sections from the suspect's writings, where Allen referred to himself as the 'Friendly Federal Assassin' and 'Cole coldForce'.

“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 allegedly 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 behaviour; it is complicity in the oppressor’s crimes".

Authorities were alerted to the manifesto by the suspect’s brother, according to the Post.

Mr Trump told Fox News: "This guy is a sick guy when you read his manifesto. He hates Christians, that's one thing for sure... and I think his sister or his brother actually was complaining about it."

"They were even complaining to law enforcement. He was a very troubled guy."

What next?

Allen is receiving hospital treatment following the incident.

He is not believed to have been shot.

FBI agents in combat gear have been pictured swarming a Torrance neighbourhood, with images emerging of them leaving a home believed to be linked to the alleged shooter.

Allen's hotel room at the Washington Hilton hotel has also been secured.

Authorities have announced that Allen will be formally charged on Monday.

Jeanine Pirro, US attorney for Washington, says the suspect is facing two counts for using firearm during crime of violence and assault on federal officers using dangerous weapon.