Cole Allen charged in shooting

Federal prosecutors say Cole Tomas Allen tried to assassinate President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on April 25 and charged him Monday in federal court. (justice.gov) (abcnews.com) The Justice Department said Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was arraigned on three counts: attempting to assassinate the president, transporting a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce to commit a felony, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. (justice.gov) (cbsnews.com) According to the criminal complaint, Allen reserved a room at the Washington Hilton on April 6, left Los Angeles by train on April 21, reached Washington on April 24, and checked into the hotel hours before the dinner. (justice.gov) (cbsnews.com) Prosecutors said Allen ran through a magnetometer with a long gun at about 8:40 p.m. Saturday. A Secret Service officer identified in court papers as Officer V.G. was struck once in the chest while wearing a ballistic vest. (cbsnews.com) (apnews.com) Court papers cited by ABC say Allen wrote that administration officials were his targets, ranked “from highest-ranking to lowest,” and that he carried a 12-gauge pump shotgun, a.38-caliber pistol and three knives. (abcnews.com) The White House is now reviewing presidential security after the shooting at a hotel event attended by Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Cabinet officials, lawmakers and journalists. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Chief of Staff Susie Wiles would lead meetings with Homeland Security and Secret Service officials. (bloomberg.com) (reuters.com) The shooting has also focused attention on how a hotel guest got close enough to a presidential security perimeter to trigger gunfire at one of Washington’s highest-profile annual events. The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner typically draws more than 2,500 guests from politics, media and government. (cbsnews.com) (apnews.com) Investigators have not publicly said whose bullet hit the Secret Service officer. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said law enforcement appears to have fired five shots, and the officer was later released from the hospital. (cbsnews.com) (nbcnews.com) Allen did not enter a plea at Monday’s hearing, and prosecutors asked that he remain detained pending trial. The criminal case now moves from the emergency response outside the ballroom to a federal prosecution built around planning, travel and weapons evidence. (abcnews.com) (justice.gov)