A 31-year-old California man has been charged with attempting to assassinate US President Donald Trump after a shooting at a Washington dinner forced top officials to evacuate.
Cole Tomas Allen appeared in court in Washington DC on Monday, facing one count of attempted assassination and two firearms offences. He did not enter a plea.
Prosecutors said Allen carried a semi-automatic handgun, a pump-action shotgun and three knives as he moved past a security checkpoint during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday.
Gunfire broke out at the Washington Hilton, where Trump, Vice-President JD Vance and senior government officials were present. They were rushed out of the ballroom.
An agent of the United States Secret Service was shot in the chest but survived due to a ballistic vest.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said: “This heroic officer who was hit fired five times at Allen, who was not shot but fell to the ground and was promptly arrested.”
Investigators said the suspect discharged his shotgun at least once. Authorities are still determining whether the injured agent was hit by the suspect or crossfire.
Allen travelled across multiple states before the attack. Officials said he left Torrance, California on 21 April, went through Chicago, and arrived in Washington on 24 April. He checked into the hotel a day before the event.
Court filings said he sent an email before the attack stating: “Administration officials are targets, prioritised from highest-ranking to lowest, I would still go through most everyone here to get to the targets if it were absolutely necessary.”
Allen was remanded in custody. Prosecutors said additional charges could follow. He faces life in prison if convicted.
The incident has triggered a review of security arrangements around the president. Officials are examining access control, identification checks and the concentration of senior leaders in one location.
Blanche defended law enforcement response, saying. “Law enforcement did not fail.”
He added that the suspect was “one floor away, with hundreds of federal agents between him and the President of the United States.”
Reports said it followed all security instructions from the Secret Service.
A senior White House official said Trump continues to back the agency’s leadership.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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