Cole Tomas Allen not accused in court filing of shooting Secret Service officer
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Apr 29
Cole Tomas Allen not accused in court filing of shooting Secret Service officer
5 articles · Updated · Reuters · Apr 29
A new U.S. government court filing omits any claim that Allen shot the officer during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton.
This contradicts earlier statements by top officials and follows security footage reviewed by the Washington Post showing no evidence Allen fired at officers. The source of the officer's gunshot wound remains unclear.
Prosecutors have charged Allen with attempting to assassinate President Trump, but not with assaulting a federal officer. The incident and conflicting accounts raise questions about the investigation and official communications.
A Secret Service agent was shot, but who really pulled the trigger?
If the suspect didn't fire the shot, was the agent hit by friendly fire?
From NASA intern to 'Federal Assassin': what created the suspect?
How did a man armed with a shotgun get past hotel security?
Twice the site of an assassination attempt, is the Hilton hotel secure?
Was the security response a textbook success or a near-fatal failure?
The April 25, 2026 Assassination Attempt on President Trump: Security Failures, Legal Battles, and Unresolved Questions
Overview
On April 25, 2026, Cole Allen traveled from California to Washington D.C., legally acquired weapons, and breached security at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Shortly before the attack, he sent a manifesto to his family expressing his intent to target Trump administration officials. Inside the ballroom, Allen opened fire, injuring a Secret Service officer, though the source of the shot remains unclear. Law enforcement quickly stopped and took Allen into custody, leading to his charging with attempted assassination and assault. The attack exposed serious security failures, including the event's lack of top-tier protection and systemic issues within the Secret Service, prompting bipartisan calls for reform and a comprehensive security review.