Man charged with attempted assassination of Trump after shooting at Washington dinner

WASHINGTON: A US man accused of shooting a Secret Service agent during a high-profile dinner attended by Donald Trump has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president, a federal judge said on Monday.

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, faces multiple federal charges, including attempted assassination and firearms offences, following the incident at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington.

Prosecutors told the court that Allen attempted to target the president during the event, which was attended by senior officials and journalists. The suspect appeared in court wearing a prison jumpsuit and has not yet formally responded to the charges.

Authorities said Allen allegedly fired a shotgun at a Secret Service agent inside the venue before being overpowered and arrested. The agent was struck but survived after a bulletproof vest absorbed the impact.

US Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh ordered the suspect to remain in custody, with a further hearing on his detention scheduled later this week.

Investigators said Allen had travelled from California to Washington and booked a room at the hotel where the event was being held. Officials also revealed he had left behind a manifesto outlining plans to target senior members of the administration, referring to himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin.”

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The shooting caused panic at the event, with attendees scrambling for safety as security personnel evacuated key figures, including President Trump.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the incident as the third major assassination attempt against Trump, while political leaders across the spectrum condemned the attack.

The case has raised fresh concerns over the security of senior US officials as investigations into the suspect’s motives and background continue.