A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday indicted the man accused of attempting to violently disrupt the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner last month on four charges.
The charges faced by Cole Tomas Allen, the alleged gunman, include attempting to assassinate President Trump at the annual black-tie dinner for journalists and public officials and assaulting an officer or employee of the United States with a deadly weapon. He faces two other firearms-related charges, as well.
The latter charge marks the first time Allen has been formally accused of shooting a Secret Service officer, after law enforcement demurred for days on ballistic results from the scene.
Allen faces two other firearms-related charges: transportation of a firearm and ammunition through interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony and using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
The 31-year-old alleged gunman has agreed to remain detained ahead of trial but has not yet entered a plea.
On the night of the April 25 dinner, the suspect charged a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton, where the dinner was held, brandishing a long gun and other weapons. Inside the ballroom, attendees dropped to the floor and under tables as top Trump administration officials were ushered to secure locations.
Prosecutors have portrayed the attack in court filings as an act of political violence, pointing to an apparent manifesto by Allen that suggests he sought to target high-ranking Trump administration officials — but would “still go through most everyone” to attack his targets.
Though details in the three-page indictment are sparse, it makes clear that Trump was a target and an officer called “V.G.” was allegedly forcibly assaulted, intimidated and interfered with by the suspect with a shotgun.
It also describes the assortment of weapons with which Allen allegedly traveled to the nation’s capital, including a 12-gauge pump action shotgun, .38 caliber semi-automatic pistol and 55 rounds of 0.38-caliber handgun ammunition.
According to an initial complaint, Allen made a reservation at the Washington Hilton on April 6 for three nights, from April 24-26. He stopped in Chicago on his way to D.C. from Los Angeles.
Allen allegedly took a mirror selfie roughly a half-hour before the shooting wearing a black dress shirt, red tie and small leather bag “consistent in appearance with the ammunition-filled bag later recovered from his person,” court filings showed. The butt of a handgun can be seen from a shoulder holster, with a knife, a pair of pliers and a pair of wire cutters sheathed around his belt.
From his hotel room, Allen allegedly tracked Trump’s movements ahead of the incident and scheduled the so-called manifesto, titled “Apology and Explanation,” to be sent to his family members, friends and a former employer.
If convicted of attempting to assassinate Trump, Allen would face a sentence of up to life in prison.
The case will be overseen by U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, the Trump appointee to which it was randomly assigned.
Updated at 4:40 p.m. EDT
