Correspondents’ dinner suspect charged with trying to assassinate President Trump

WASHINGTON, DC (CBS) – The man accused of opening fire just outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, DC, has been charged with trying to assassinate President Trump.

The suspect, 31-year-old Cole Allen of California, made his first appearance in federal court this afternoon but did not enter a plea. He faces two other gun-related charges.

Allen railed against Trump administration policies and referred to himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin” in writings sent to family members minutes before the shooting that authorities increasingly believe was politically motivated, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation.

The writings, sent shortly before shots were fired, made repeated references to President Donald Trump without naming him directly and alluded to grievances over a range of administration actions and recent events, including U.S. strikes on drug smuggling boats in the eastern Pacific, the official said.

The official was not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Today, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney in D.C. Jeanine Pirro held a news conference in Washington to announce the charges, which was televised live on WAKA Action 8.

An FBI affidavit said Allen traveled by train from Los Angeles to Washington last week and checked in to the Washington Hilton the day before the dinner. That’s the hotel where the dinner was held, and the same hotel where President Reagan was shot in 1981.

Prosecutors said Allen had a shotgun and handgun on him when he stormed a security checkpoint on the floor above the ballroom where the dinner was being held. The affidavit said that he fired his gun, but did not specify that he fired the round that struck a Secret Service agent in his bulletproof vest.

The Secret Service faces questions about the security at the event, which brought together 2,500 journalists, administration officials, lawmakers and celebrities. Many attendees said they found security to be lax. The Secret Service said today that it will enhance security at events moving forward.

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