A man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at the White House correspondents' dinner has been charged with assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon, prosecutors announced on Tuesday.
The new charge is part of a revised four-count indictment against Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of California. The other counts include attempted assassination, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and illegal transportation of a firearm and ammunition across state lines.
On 25 April, Allen allegedly sprinted past a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the annual press gala was taking place. Prosecutors allege he fired a shotgun, striking a US Secret Service agent in the chest. The agent was wearing a bulletproof vest and was not seriously injured.
US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, said: “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.”
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche praised the “courageous and immediate response from law enforcement” for stopping the heavily armed suspect. Allen is being held pending trial.
