Allen was first identified by the Associated Press late on April 25. The next day, AI-generated images showing Allen in various sports teams’ clothing were surfacing on Facebook.
Sports apparel was associated with various sports and levels of play, including baseball teams such as the LA Dodgers, hockey teams such as the Montreal Canadiens, and colleges such as the Oregon Ducks and Michigan State Spartans.
Fact-checking site Lead Stories says several of the fake photos were posted by a Facebook page called West Coast Sluggers with versions of the caption:
BREAKING: The shooter at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has been identified as Cole Allen, 30, of Torrance, California. Prior to the incident, he had worked as a security staff member for the Los Angeles Dodgers and appeared several times at their games.
Of course this is not true. Allen is reportedly a teacher and engineer, and there is no evidence that he has ever worked as a security staff member for a sports team. It appears that the West Coast Sluggers account was using AI to take a photo of Allen and dress him up in the attire of various sports teams, seemingly in an effort to capture the attention of people who are fans of those teams.
Other rogue accounts on Facebook also spread falsehoods, such as an Ohio-focused account called The Ohio Spirit. Clicking on the link on that Facebook post takes users to a nasty article that includes ads for something called Capital One Shopping, which prompts users to install an extension that is definitely going to do horrible things to your computer.
Reporter Elaine Briggs posted a video showing examples she saw.
Here in 45 seconds Facebook told me that the alleged WHCD shooter was a former employee of virtually every major collegiate and professional sports team. pic.twitter.com/HrZ2rTUl3E
– Elyn Briggs (@ElynBriggs) 28 April 2026
There was a lot of other nonsense spreading after the revelation of Allen’s identity, including a 2017 news report that actually featured Allen, but claimed it also featured Usha Vance, the wife of Vice President J.D. Vance, which was false. The woman did not look like Usha Vance at all.
Allen is charged with transportation of a firearm and ammunition through interstate commerce with intent to commit a crime, discharge of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, and attempted assassination of the President.
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