Cole Allen, 31, of California was also charged with transporting a firearm across state lines and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
WASHINGTON– The Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged Cole Allen, the suspect in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, with the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump.
Allen, during a brief appearance on April 27, was also charged with transporting a firearm across state lines with intent to commit a felony, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. If convicted, Allen faces life in prison and hundreds of thousands in fines.
He has not yet entered a plea.
Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh informed Allen of his rights, while prosecutors requested that he remain in custody. Allen’s detention hearing is on Thursday, and a preliminary hearing will be held on May 11.
According to officials, Allen sent a manifesto to family members in which he referred to himself as the “Friendly Federal Assassin,” and outlined plans to target senior Trump administration officials attending the event. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the intended targets likely included Trump.
Authorities said Allen traveled from California to Washington by train and booked a room at the Washington Hilton, where the event was held.
The annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner brings together journalists and prominent figures to celebrate press freedom. The shooting disrupted the high-profile gathering, sending attendees scrambling for cover and prompting law enforcement to quickly evacuate senior officials. Trump, who was scheduled to speak later that evening, was rushed offstage by security after the gunfire began.
Investigators say Allen fired a shotgun at a Secret Service agent at a security checkpoint inside the hotel before being subdued and arrested. Video footage later shared online showed the suspect running through a hallway near the ballroom. Allen did not make it into the ballroom.
Officials said the suspect was stopped within a secured area and described the response as a success for law enforcement. However, the incident has renewed concerns about the safety of Trump—who survived two assassination attempts during his 2024 campaign—and other U.S. officials.
The Secret Service agent who was struck was protected by a tactical vest and released from the hospital within hours.
Allen, who authorities say was carrying a handgun and multiple knives in addition to the shotgun, was also taken to a local hospital for evaluation after the incident.
Allen, approximately 31, is from Torrance, California, a coastal city in the South Bay region near Los Angeles along Santa Monica Bay. A LinkedIn profile under his name describes him as a “mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, and teacher by birth.”
According to the profile, he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 and a master’s degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2025. Caltech confirmed that an individual with that name graduated in 2017.
Reuters contributed to this report.
By Stacy Robinson and Jackson Richman
