Authorities detail alleged plot targeting senior officials as suspect faces life sentence following armed attack that disrupted high-profile Washington event
WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice has charged Cole Allen, the suspect in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, with the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump.
Allen appeared briefly in court on April 27, where he was also charged with transporting a firearm across state lines with intent to commit a felony and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. If convicted, he faces life in prison and fines totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars.
He has not yet entered a plea.
Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh advised Allen of his rights, while prosecutors requested that he remain in custody. A detention hearing is scheduled for Thursday, with a preliminary hearing set for May 11.
According to officials, Allen sent a manifesto to family members referring to himself as the “Friendly Federal Assassin,” outlining plans to target senior Trump administration officials attending the event. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the intended targets likely included Trump.
Authorities said Allen traveled from California to Washington by train and booked a room at the Washington Hilton, the venue hosting the event.
The annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner gathers journalists and prominent figures to celebrate press freedom. The shooting disrupted the high-profile event, sending attendees scrambling for cover and prompting law enforcement to evacuate senior officials. Trump, who was scheduled to speak later that evening, was rushed offstage by security after gunfire erupted.
Investigators said Allen fired a shotgun at a Secret Service agent at a security checkpoint inside the hotel before being subdued and arrested. Video footage later circulated online showed the suspect running through a hallway near the ballroom. Allen did not enter the ballroom.
Officials stated the suspect was stopped within a secured area, describing the response as a success for law enforcement. However, the incident has renewed concerns about the safety of Trump—who survived two assassination attempts during his 2024 campaign—and other U.S. officials.
The injured Secret Service agent, protected by a tactical vest, was released from the hospital within hours.
Authorities said Allen was carrying a handgun and multiple knives in addition to the shotgun and was taken to a local hospital for evaluation following the incident.
Allen, approximately 31, is from Torrance, California, a coastal city in the South Bay region near Los Angeles along Santa Monica Bay. A LinkedIn profile under his name describes him as a “mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, and teacher by birth.”
According to the profile, he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 and a master’s degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2025. Caltech confirmed that an individual with that name graduated in 2017.
