'Cole Allen': One tweet breaks the internet, fuels conspiracy theories

Cole Tomas Allen, a Californian, had his name splashed all over after he was arrested as a suspect at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting.

But a social media user on X named Henry Martinez – in a single bizarre tweet – wrote the alleged shooter's name, "Cole Allen".

However, what was shocking: the tweet was posted in 2023 and is the only post on the account, which shows a Pepe image, drawing curiosity.

The tweet resurfaced and went widely viral, baffling netizens following Allen's name being published as a suspect.

If that is not bizarre enough, things went down a rabbit hole when a 2014 NASA publication by Henry Martinez surfaced.

It is unclear whether the person who penned the space agency's document and the person behind the X account were the same.

Here is where it gets complicated, as Allen's internship at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory happened at the same time as the publication of Martinez's technical report.

Yet, these alleged links have been given oxygen to fuel online speculation and conspiracy theories.

Alleged shooter Cole Tomas Allen details

A suspect, aged 31, has been arrested, authorities said, adding the man, who is from Torrance, California, will appear in court tomorrow after he attempted to enter the White House Correspondents' Dinner with arms.

Despite shots being fired – it's immediately unclear by whom, the shooter or the Secret Service agents – President Donald Trump and others escaped harm.

Cole Tomas Allen – the suspect – was rushed to a local hospital for a check-up after being taken into custody.

But the interim chief of police of the Metropolitan Police Department, Jeffery W. Carroll, said gunfire had not struck him.

Details shared by the law enforcement officials stated the shooter was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives.