Overview
- Prosecutors filed federal charges of attempted assassination of the president and illegal gun possession against Cole Thomas Allen, who made his first court appearance in Washington and was ordered detained with another hearing set for Thursday.
- The shooting broke out at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner as Secret Service agents rushed the president from the ballroom and a wounded agent was treated after a shotgun blast struck his body armor.
- Authorities identified Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, and said he carried a shotgun, a pistol, and knives; officials said he had booked a room at the hotel and traveled to Washington by train.
- Reports said Allen sent relatives a manifesto that used the moniker “Friendly Federal Killer” and discussed plans to target senior administration officials, with investigators still working to establish motive.
- In a CBS interview after the incident, the president said he paused his evacuation to watch events unfold, while guests described a near-hour lockdown inside the ballroom and noted unusually tight security at the venue.