A 31-year-old man accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington was charged Monday with attempting to assassinate President Donald J. Trump and faces the prospect of life in prison if convicted.
Cole Tomas Allen appeared in federal court wearing a blue jail-issued V-neck and pants, his hands cuffed behind his back. Prosecutors say the attack, at the Washington Hilton hotel during the annual black-tie event for journalists and politicians, was directed at the President.
“He attempted to assassinate the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump,” prosecutor Jocelyn Ballantine told the court.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said investigators believe Allen targeted Trump in part because an email he sent to relatives the night of the incident described the President as a “traitor” and used other derogatory language. “Violence has no place in civil life,” Blanche said. “It cannot and will not be used to disrupt democratic institutions, and it certainly cannot continue to be used against the President of the United States.”
Allen, a Torrance, California, resident, also faces federal charges of illegally transporting a firearm across state lines and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Prosecutors said he brought a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun and three knives to Washington; a court filing additionally identified a Rock Island Armory 1911 .38-caliber semi-automatic handgun among the weapons recovered. Officials said a spent shotgun shell casing was recovered, indicating the shotgun had been fired.
Allen did not formally respond to the allegations at the brief hearing. He told the court he holds a master’s degree in computer science. Defense attorney Tezira Abe said Allen had no prior arrests or convictions.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh ordered Allen held in custody until at least Thursday, when a detention hearing will consider whether he should remain jailed until trial. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said additional charges are expected.
According to an FBI agent’s affidavit filed in court, Allen booked a room at the Washington Hilton on April 6 and traveled to the city by train last week. The affidavit says Allen emailed family members on the day of the attack, calling himself the “Friendly Federal Assassin” and describing plans to target senior Trump administration officials. “On to why I did any of this: I am a citizen of the United States of America. What my representatives do reflects on me,” the affidavit quotes from the email.
The shooting disrupted the high-profile dinner, sending attendees diving under tables and prompting law enforcement to evacuate senior officials. Trump, who was scheduled to speak later in the evening, was rushed off the stage by security.
The court filing says Allen passed through a magnetometer at a hotel security checkpoint while holding a long gun. A Secret Service officer fired at Allen; the affidavit states Allen fell to the ground but was not shot. The affidavit also notes that a Secret Service officer was shot in the chest while wearing a ballistic vest, though it did not specify who fired that shot.
Officials have described the rapid law enforcement response as a success but say the incident has renewed concerns about the safety of the President and other public officials amid a wider pattern of political violence in the United States. Prosecutors and investigators continue to develop the case as Allen remains in federal custody.
