The U.S. Department of Justice has upgraded the charges against Cole Tomas Allen, the individual accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at the White House correspondents’ dinner last month. In addition to the existing charges, Allen is now facing a new charge of assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon for allegedly firing at a U.S. Secret Service agent at a security checkpoint.
The new four-count indictment, issued by a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., includes the previous charges of attempted assassination, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and illegal transportation of a firearm and ammunition across state lines. Prosecutors claim that Allen, a 31-year-old from California, was armed with a shotgun and a pistol when he breached security in an attempt to target Trump and other U.S. officials on April 25.
There was initial uncertainty regarding whether Allen had shot the Secret Service agent as he ran towards the ballroom where Trump and senior officials were present with around 2,500 attendees. Although Trump administration officials initially reported that the agent had been shot but saved by his ballistic vest, the initial charges against Allen did not specifically mention the shooting.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, overseeing the investigation, released surveillance footage showing Allen firing at the agent, who then returned fire. Pirro stated that a pellet recovered from the scene was linked to fibers from the agent’s vest. Allen was apprehended by law enforcement before reaching the ballroom, and no other individuals were harmed during the incident.