Federal authorities continue to investigate the third attempted assassination of President Donald Trump, which occurred days ago when a shooter opened fire at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington, D.C.
Chaos at the Washington Hilton
The incident took place on Saturday evening at the Washington Hilton, where guests reported hearing loud noises from outside the event just as it commenced. Social media videos showed the president and cabinet members being rushed from the ballroom as Secret Service agents flooded the area with weapons drawn.
Suspect Charged
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was charged on Monday with attempting to assassinate the president, along with two weapons charges, including discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. According to court documents, Allen booked a hotel room for three nights and traveled by train from Southern California.
At approximately 8:40 p.m., less than an hour after the event began, Allen allegedly ran through a metal detector at a security checkpoint on the hotel's terrace level. Secret Service agents reported hearing a loud gunshot. One agent, wearing a ballistic vest, was shot once in the chest. Allen tripped before reaching the ballroom and fell, where he was tackled by agents.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated during a Monday news conference that Allen fired his weapon once and did not reload. The two weapons Allen brought to the hotel were purchased in California in 2023 and 2025, according to court records.
Investigation Ongoing
Federal investigators were still searching for the bullet fragment that struck the agent as of Tuesday, leaving uncertainty about whether Allen fired the shot. Allen accessed the security checkpoint through an unguarded stairwell, as reported by MS Now. The Secret Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In an email allegedly sent to his family and a former employer, Allen apologized “to everyone whose trust I abused.” The email states, “I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes,” and was signed as “‘Friendly Federal Assassin’ Allen.”
Authorities are continuing to investigate the motive and circumstances surrounding this third attempt on the president's life.
