Cole Tomas Allen, the man accused of charging a security checkpoint outside the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner while armed with multiple weapons, has been charged with attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump.
Allen, a 31-year-old Torrance, California, resident, was also charged with transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, as well as use of firearm in in crime of violence. He heard the charges as appeared for his arraignment at the DC federal courthouse.
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Prosecutors said the attempted assassination charge carries a possible sentence of up to life in prison, along with fines and supervised release if convicted. Allen did not enter a plea during the hearing.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that he expected the charges to include assault of a federal officer and discharging a firearm during the assault of a federal officer.
Prosecutor Jocelyn Ballantine argued that Allen should be held without bail, saying he traveled across multiple state lines to Washington while heavily armed and attempted to assassinate the president. She told the court the charges qualify as a federal crime of terrorism and a crime of violence involving firearms, which she said triggers mandatory pretrial detention.
Ballantine also detailed that Allen allegedly carried a pump-action shotgun, a .38 caliber semiautomatic pistol, and multiple knives during the incident.
The criminal case is being handled by Ballantine and Charles Jones of U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office. Public defenders Eugene Ohm and Tezira Abbe are representing Allen’s defense.
At approximately 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, gunfire erupted in the outside hallways of the venue, and one U.S. Secret Service agent was shot in the vest but not seriously injured while guests dove to the ground and hid under tables during the chaos.
The incident prompted the evacuation of Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and numerous other high-profile attendees, prompting concerns about security protocols at one of the most glamorous events in the nation’s capital. However, Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles said Monday she stands by the Secret Service and will soon hold a meeting about the future of security protocols for events moving forward.
FBI Director Kash Patel, who was also an attendee on Saturday, said Monday morning the bureau is continuing to investigate Allen’s actions and possible motive, with the bureau’s Behavioral Analysis Unit reviewing emails, social media activity, and conducting interviews.
“The criminal complaint will show you what he did, how he got there, when he got there, when he arrived, how he got down to the area in question, how he was able to get through security undetected,” Patel told Fox News.
Just under two hours from the incident, Trump posted a photo to Truth Social of Cole restrained and lying on the ground. Trump called Cole “a very sick person” and vowed to reschedule the event within 30 days, saying it “was such a beautiful evening.”
Monday’s arraignment marks the first formal step in the criminal case against Allen, with further proceedings expected to address detention, discovery, and possible trial timelines.
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A press conference hosted by Blanche is scheduled for 3 p.m. EDT, where officials are expected to provide additional details about the case.
A detention hearing will be held for Allen Thursday at 11 a.m. local time.
