The court charged the suspect in the shooting at the gala event in Washington, where Donald Trump was present, with attempted murder of the President of the United States. The man faces life imprisonment.
A federal court in Washington on Monday, April 27, charged a suspect in the shooting at a gala event attended by Donald Trump with attempted murder of the President of the United States. 31-year-old Cole Allen from Torrance, California, faces life imprisonment if found guilty, according to Reuters, as reported by DW.
Allen is also facing charges on two additional counts: using a firearm during a violent crime and armed assault on a federal officer. The man did not plead guilty at his first court hearing but also did not claim his innocence.
At the hearing, prosecutor Jocelyn Ballantine stated that among the weapons Allen brought to Washington were a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun and three knives.
Shooting at the Gala Event in Washington
On the evening of April 25, at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner was held with the participation of President Donald Trump and other high-ranking officials, a shooting occurred. Reports indicated that the attacker attempted to breach the event by opening fire near a security checkpoint with metal detectors. One of the bullets struck a Secret Service agent, but he was saved by his bulletproof vest. The suspect was apprehended at the entrance to the hall where the reception was taking place.
Trump, his wife Melania, and members of his administration were evacuated, and no guests were harmed. According to CBS News, the detainee claimed that his targets were members of the United States administration, although it is asserted that he did not specifically name Donald Trump. Attendees included U.S. Vice President James David Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegset.
The White House published photos of the attack suspect on its social media platform Truth Social. CNN and The New York Post identified the man in the images as 31-year-old Cole Allen from Southern California. Allen's LinkedIn profile states that he is a mechanical engineer with an interest in game development. It also mentions that he works part-time as a tutor at C2 Education.
Trump Claimed the Shooter Had an "Anti-Christian Manifesto"
On April 26, during an appearance on Fox News, the U.S. President stated that the alleged shooter was mentally ill. According to Trump, the attacker also published a "clearly anti-Christian" manifesto and had "harbored strong hatred in his heart for quite some time."
According to the President, the suspect's family was aware of his problems. His relatives "even complained to law enforcement," Donald Trump claimed. "Perhaps they should have reported him a bit more assertively," he noted.
Fox News host Jacqueline Heinrich wrote on social media platform X that the suspect's manifesto mentioned intentions to attack members of the U.S. administration. Additionally, he posted on social media critical remarks about Trump and anti-Christian statements, the journalist added.
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