White House Correspondents' Dinner Shooting: Suspect Charged with Attempted Assassination of Trump
A shooting incident occurred during the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington D.C., leading to the arrest and charging of suspect Cole Tomas Allen with attempted assassination of President Trump. The incident highlights significant security concerns at public political events.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 05:41
- 🔍 Collected: April 28, 2026 at 06:01 (20 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 07:04 (1h 2m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Washington, April 27, CNA) A shooting incident occurred during the White House Correspondents' Dinner attended by U.S. President Trump in Washington D.C. over the weekend, and the suspected gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, was charged today with attempted assassination of President Trump.
According to reports from Reuters and AFP, if convicted, Allen, a 31-year-old resident of Torrance, California, could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Allen made his first appearance in a Washington federal court today, dressed in a blue prison uniform. He was escorted in and out of the courtroom by U.S. Marshals, with his hands cuffed behind his back.
Prosecutor Jocelyn Ballantine stated in court that Allen brought a shotgun and three knives to Washington, and "he attempted to assassinate U.S. President Trump."
U.S. Federal Assistant Judge Matthew Sharbaugh said Allen also faces charges of illegal interstate transportation of firearms and discharging a firearm during a violent crime.
Allen did not respond to these charges during the brief hearing. He stated that he holds a master's degree in computer science. Defense attorney Tezira Abe stated in court that Allen has no prior arrest or conviction record.
Sharbaugh ordered Allen to be detained until at least April 30, when another hearing will be scheduled to consider whether he should be held pending trial as requested by the prosecution.
According to officials, Allen booked a room at the Washington Hilton Hotel, where the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner was held, and traveled from California to Washington by train.
In a manifesto left for his family, he referred to himself as a "friendly federal assassin" and discussed plans targeting high-ranking officials in the Trump administration. These officials were in the hotel ballroom at the time.
After multiple gunshots were heard outside the ballroom, Allen was subdued in a chaotic scene near a security checkpoint. He was unable to approach Trump or other guests attending the dinner. (Compiled by Lu Ying-tzu) 1150428
(Washington, April 27, CNA) A shooting incident occurred during the White House Correspondents' Dinner attended by U.S. President Trump in Washington D.C. over the weekend, and the suspected gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, was charged today with attempted assassination of President Trump.
According to reports from Reuters and AFP, if convicted, Allen, a 31-year-old resident of Torrance, California, could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Allen made his first appearance in a Washington federal court today, dressed in a blue prison uniform. He was escorted in and out of the courtroom by U.S. Marshals, with his hands cuffed behind his back.
Prosecutor Jocelyn Ballantine stated in court that Allen brought a shotgun and three knives to Washington, and "he attempted to assassinate U.S. President Trump."
U.S. Federal Assistant Judge Matthew Sharbaugh said Allen also faces charges of illegal interstate transportation of firearms and discharging a firearm during a violent crime.
Allen did not respond to these charges during the brief hearing. He stated that he holds a master's degree in computer science. Defense attorney Tezira Abe stated in court that Allen has no prior arrest or conviction record.
Sharbaugh ordered Allen to be detained until at least April 30, when another hearing will be scheduled to consider whether he should be held pending trial as requested by the prosecution.
According to officials, Allen booked a room at the Washington Hilton Hotel, where the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner was held, and traveled from California to Washington by train.
In a manifesto left for his family, he referred to himself as a "friendly federal assassin" and discussed plans targeting high-ranking officials in the Trump administration. These officials were in the hotel ballroom at the time.
After multiple gunshots were heard outside the ballroom, Allen was subdued in a chaotic scene near a security checkpoint. He was unable to approach Trump or other guests attending the dinner. (Compiled by Lu Ying-tzu) 1150428