New court filing outlines weapons, timeline, and alleged manifesto tied to suspect accused of attempting to attack the president.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Federal prosecutors have released new images and a detailed court memorandum outlining what they describe as a premeditated plan by Cole Tomas Allen to target President Donald Trump and members of his administration during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, D.C.
The government’s Memorandum in Support of Pretrial Detention, which was filed, seeks to keep Allen in custody pending trial on charges that include attempted assassination of the president, transportation of firearms and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
NOTABLE: Prosecutors' memo drops any reference to a USSS officer being hit by a bullet. It now says an officer observed Allen fire in the direction of the staircase toward the WHCD. That officer then fired at Allen five times but did not hit him. https://t.co/SjBVCPQJQO pic.twitter.com/HeqOQ4V61a
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) April 29, 2026
According to the filing, the incident occurred shortly after 8:30 p.m. when Allen approached a U.S. Secret Service security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton. Prosecutors state that he removed a long coat concealing a 12-gauge shotgun, ran through a magnetometer, and moved toward a stairwell leading to the ballroom where the president and senior officials were gathered.
The memorandum describes how a Secret Service officer observed Allen raise the weapon and fire in the direction of the stairs. The officer then discharged his service weapon multiple times. Allen was subdued and taken into custody after falling to the ground. Prosecutors clarified in an updated filing that no officer was struck by the suspect’s gunfire, revising earlier references.
Authorities said Allen was carrying a Mossberg 12-gauge pump-action shotgun with one spent round and multiple additional cartridges, along with a Rock Island Armory .38-caliber pistol loaded with ammunition. The filing also lists knives, daggers, holsters, pliers, wire cutters, and a cellphone among the items recovered at the scene. Records indicate the firearms had been legally purchased in California in prior years.
Images included in the memorandum show equipment allegedly recovered during the arrest, as well as a photograph described as a mirror selfie taken in Allen’s hotel room roughly 30 minutes before the incident. The image depicts him dressed in formal attire with various items visible nearby, including what prosecutors identified as an ammunition bag and tools.
The filing also references a written statement attributed to Allen, which prosecutors say was scheduled to be sent to family members and his employer at the time of the incident. In the document, he allegedly outlined intentions, described targets within the administration, and referenced specific tactics and equipment.
Investigators said Allen had reserved a room at the hotel weeks before the event and traveled across the country by train while in possession of the weapons later recovered.
Allen faces a potential life sentence, along with a mandatory minimum of 10 years if convicted on the charges outlined in the federal case. Prosecutors argue that the evidence demonstrates planning and intent sufficient to justify continued detention as the case proceeds through the court system.
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