Cole Tomas Allen, the man accused of opening fire at the White House correspondents' dinner in April, now faces an additional charge of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon, federal authorities announced on Tuesday.
The new count, part of a revised four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Washington, alleges that Allen fired a shotgun at a US Secret Service agent during the incident. The other three counts – attempted assassination, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and illegal transportation of a firearm and ammunition across state lines – were previously filed.
On 25 April, Allen, a 31-year-old from California, allegedly sprinted past a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the annual press gala was taking place. Prosecutors claim he intended to assassinate then-President Donald Trump and other senior officials dining with approximately 2,500 guests.
According to Tuesday's announcement, as Allen rushed the security perimeter, he fired a shotgun, striking a Secret Service agent in the chest. The agent, who was wearing a bulletproof vest, was not seriously injured. Several other weapons were found in Allen's possession.
“Today’s indictment underscores a simple truth: there is evidence this defendant intended to assassinate the president, and that he shot a US Secret Service officer after he traversed the country with a cache of ammunition to accomplish his goals,” said US Attorney Jeanine Pirro. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche added that Allen was “stopped thanks to the courageous and immediate response from law enforcement.”
