A 31-year-old man from California has been formally charged with attempting to assassinate US President Donald Trump following a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, D.C.
Cole Tomas Allen was arrested after the incident on Saturday night at the Washington Hilton hotel. Authorities say he tried to rush a security checkpoint near the main magnetometer screening area, leading to an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement. A US Secret Service officer was injured during the confrontation.
Allen faces three federal charges: attempted assassination of the president, interstate transportation of weapons, and discharge of a firearm during a violent crime. He made his first court appearance on Monday at the US District Court for the District of Columbia.
According to reports, Allen traveled from California to Washington, D.C., by train and checked into the Washington Hilton with weapons before the event. He was found in possession of a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, a Rock Island Armory 1911 .38 semi-automatic handgun, three knives, and other dangerous items. CNBC reported on the weapons seized from the suspect.
Shortly before the shooting, Allen sent an email to relatives in which he described Trump administration officials as “targets, prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest.” He reportedly added, “I walk in with multiple weapons and not a single person there considers the possibility that I could be a threat.”
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Live footage captured the chaos as attendees ducked under tables for cover. President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and all Cabinet members were promptly evacuated from the dinner.
The US Secret Service, in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department, investigated the incident. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi issued a statement on X regarding the shooting near the screening area.
Details of the charges were announced at a press conference at the Department of Justice, attended by US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Acting Assistant Director for the Criminal Investigative Division Darren Cox.
This latest event adds to a series of reported threats and assassination attempts against Trump, including the July 2024 incident in Butler, Pennsylvania. The case continues to draw significant attention as investigations proceed.
