Man charged with trying to kill Trump at WH dinner took knife photo in hotel
Cole Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, faces charges for attempting to storm the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday night at the Washington Hilton to kill President Donald Trump. Minutes before, he photographed himself in his hotel room wearing black pants, a black shirt, and a red tie, equipped with an ammunition bag, a shoulder gun holster, and a sheathed knife. He tried to race past security barricades near the ballroom, prompting Secret Service agents to exchange gunfire. Authorities revealed in a court filing on Wednesday that Allen repeatedly checked online for Trump's status that night, including live coverage of the president arriving at the Hilton. Preset emails with an "Apology and Explanation" attachment were sent around 8:30 pm. Prosecutors seek his continued detention, with a hearing set for Thursday, arguing he poses an uncommonly serious danger.
Key facts
- Cole Allen charged with attempting to kill President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
- Allen took a photo of himself in his Washington Hilton hotel room minutes before the incident, wearing black pants, a black shirt, and a red tie, with an ammunition bag, shoulder gun holster, and sheathed knife.
- He tried to race past security barricades near the ballroom, leading to an exchange of gunfire with Secret Service agents.
- Allen repeatedly made online checks to track Trump's status that night, including live coverage of the president exiting his vehicle at the Hilton.
- Preset emails with an 'Apology and Explanation' attachment were sent at around 8:30 pm.
- Allen is from Torrance, California, and is 31 years old.
- A court filing by prosecutors on Wednesday detailed the new evidence.
- A hearing is set for Thursday to determine if Allen will remain in custody.
Entities
Institutions
- White House Correspondents' Association
- Secret Service
- Washington Hilton
- US Attorney for the District of Columbia
Locations
- Washington Hilton
- Washington, D.C.
- United States
- Torrance
- California