Prosecutors File Pre-Attack Photo in Trump Assassination Attempt Case

Overview

• Federal prosecutors, in a detention filing released Wednesday, included a mirror selfie they say Cole Tomas Allen took about 30 minutes before the attack that shows him in formal wear with a holstered pistol, an ammo bag and a knife.
• Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was charged Monday in Washington federal court with attempted assassination of the president, using a firearm during a violent crime and assaulting a federal officer, and he remains in custody facing a potential life sentence if convicted.
• During Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton, Allen tried to rush a checkpoint while carrying a pump-action shotgun, a semi-automatic pistol and multiple knives, fired once, wounded a law‑enforcement officer who was saved by body armor, and was stopped and arrested as guests, including President Trump and the first lady, were evacuated.
• Prosecutors argue Allen set out to kill the president, and media have reported a manifesto in which he wrote that administration officials were targets ranked from highest to lowest, a claim investigators continue to examine.
• The scare has renewed scrutiny of Secret Service planning for large events, with Rep. Michael McCaul and security experts urging changes to avoid placing the president and vice president in the same room.