Residents of Torrance, a coastal Los Angeles suburb known for its tranquil streets and tight-knit community, are grappling with the startling revelation that Cole Thomas Allen—the man charged with attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents' Dinner—was their neighbor.
"It's bizarre that this person lives two blocks away from your house," said Vince Terrazzino, whose young daughter Alessandra eagerly pressed FBI agents for updates as they canvassed the neighborhood. The agents politely declined to answer, but the sight of law enforcement and a media swarm on their usually sleepy street was a jolt to the community.
Allen, 31, lived with his parents in a modest home in Torrance, a city locals affectionately call "Bore-ance" because nothing exciting usually happens. But the quiet was shattered Saturday night after Allen's arrest in Washington, D.C. Helicopters circled overhead as FBI agents searched the family home, keeping many residents awake and glued to the news.
"Nothing ever happens here," Terrazzino said, as his daughter echoed the town's nickname: "Bore-ance."
Despite the sudden media frenzy, neighbors described Allen as a quiet figure who kept to himself. "He wouldn't look at you. He wouldn't interact. He never made eye contact," said Cesilia Peralta, who works next to the tutoring center where Allen was employed. Her daughter had been tutored by Allen, and recognizing his face in the news was a shock.
Allen appeared in court Monday on charges related to the assassination attempt but has not yet entered a plea. Prosecutors allege he wrote to relatives detailing plans to target as many Trump administration officials as possible. He was armed with a semiautomatic handgun, a pump-action shotgun, and three knives when he breached a security checkpoint at the dinner, according to an affidavit. A Secret Service agent was wounded in the ensuing exchange of gunfire before Allen was subdued.
Former associates at the California Institute of Technology (CalTech), where Allen studied, remember him as a quiet and studious individual. Pastor Movses Janbazian of Pasadena United Reformed Church recalled Allen attending services but keeping to himself. "CalTech is very competitive. He was studying a lot. He would come and go," Janbazian said.
While many neighbors expressed protectiveness over Allen's parents, who are known as a friendly family, the mood on the street remained one of disbelief. Amid the chaos, one resident noted a silver lining: "Good things also come out of Torrance," pointing out that Olympic hero and WWII veteran Louis Zamperini once lived just down the street.