WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, has been charged with attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the weekend.
The Department of Justice announced that 31-year-old Allen was charged with one count of attempt to assassinate the President, transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.
The accused was arraigned Monday in U.S. District Court on charges stemming from the April 25 shooting.
Gunshots were fired near the main security screening area for the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and members of the Cabinet were evacuated by the Secret Service. It was the first White House Correspondents' Dinner that Trump had attended as a sitting president.
According to court documents, Allen made a reservation at the Washington Hilton hotel for three nights, from April 24. Allen traveled by train from his home near Los Angeles to Chicago before boarding a train from Chicago to Washington, D.C.
At around 8:40 p.m., Allen approached a security checkpoint on the Terrace Level of the hotel leading to the hotel's ballroom. Allen ran through the magnetometer holding a long gun. A U.S. Secret Service officer, who was wearing a ballistic vest, was shot in the chest.
The Secret Service officer drew his service weapon and fired multiple times at Allen, who fell to the ground and suffered minor injuries but was not shot. Officers subsequently arrested Allen, who possessed a 12-gauge pump action shotgun and a Rock Island Armory 1911 .38 caliber pistol.
Allen was taken to Howard University Hospital for minor injuries and has since been released to law enforcement custody.
Shortly before the assassination attempt, Allen sent an email to members of his family and a former employer explaining the actions he was about to take, the Department of Justice said. The email says, 'I wish I could have said anything earlier, but doing so would have made none of this possible. My sincerest apologies for all the trouble I've caused. (scheduled send)-Cole.' Allen signed his email 'Cole 'coldForce' 'Friendly Federal Assassin' Allen.'
'Cole Allen now faces the full weight of federal justice,' said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. 'This alleged assassin was stopped because of the courage and professionalism of law enforcement officers who responded without hesitation by doing their jobs. Because of them, the President of the United States, administration officials and all attendees at the dinner were safe. Make no mistake: deranged attacks on our elected officials will never go unpunished.'
'The evidence is abundantly clear: Cole Tomas Allen traveled to Washington D.C. for the purpose of assassinating President Trump and targeting members of the Trump administration,' said FBI Director Kash Patel.
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