The man accused of opening fire at a Washington dinner attended by Donald Trump was charged Monday with attempting to assassinate the U.S. president and could face life imprisonment if convicted.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, appeared in Washington federal court two days after authorities said he carried out a failed attack at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.
The incident adds to a growing pattern of political violence in the United States, including the killing of activist Charlie Kirk, the assassination of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, and multiple attempts on Donald Trump’s life during the 2024 campaign.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters after the hearing that investigators believe Allen targeted Trump in part because he appeared to refer to the president as a “traitor” and called him other epithets in an email he sent to relatives the night of the incident.
Allen To Be Held In Jail
Allen, of Torrance, California, also faces charges of illegally transporting a firearm across state lines and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Prosecutor Jocelyn Ballantine said Allen brought a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun and three knives to Washington, while a court filing also said he was armed with a Rock Island Armory 1911 .38 caliber semi-automatic handgun.
Blanche said authorities recovered a spent shell casing inside the shotgun in a sign it had been fired.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh ordered Allen held in custody until at least Thursday, when he is due to return to court for a hearing to consider whether he should be held in jail until trial.
Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney in Washington, told reporters that additional charges would be brought against Allen.
‘Friendly Federal Assassin’
Allen booked a room at the Washington Hilton on April 6 and traveled from California by train, according to an FBI affidavit. He allegedly emailed family calling himself a “Friendly Federal Assassin” and outlining plans to target Trump officials.
The shooting disrupted the high-profile dinner, sending attendees scrambling as security rushed Donald Trump off stage. Authorities called Allen’s arrest a success, though it renewed concerns over officials’ safety.
According to the affidavit, Allen passed a security checkpoint with a long gun before a Secret Service officer fired, bringing him down. The officer was later shot in the chest while wearing a ballistic vest.
(With inputs from Reuters)
