Trump Assassination Suspect Shot Secret Service Agent at Press Dinner
Theo Al Jazeera English
U.S. prosecutors confirmed the bullet that struck a Secret Service agent at the White House correspondents' dinner last month came from the gun of suspect Cole Tomas Allen, who is charged with plotting to assassinate President Donald Trump. Prosecutor Jeanine Pirro said the act was premeditated violence aimed at killing the president and anyone in the agent's path.
U.S. investigators confirmed that the suspect in the assassination plot against President Donald Trump was the one who shot a Secret Service agent at the White House correspondents' dinner last month. Prosecutor Jeanine Pirro revealed the information on April 27, affirming that the bullet lodged in the agent's bulletproof vest came solely from the suspect.
“This is definitely his bullet. He shot that Secret Service agent. He intended to kill that person and anyone else in his path as he moved toward his target of assassinating the U.S. president,” Pirro said. She emphasized that the act was premeditated violence aimed at killing the president and anyone within range.
The conclusion refuted speculation that the bullet might have been friendly fire. It could also lead to additional charges against suspect Cole Tomas Allen, 31.
The U.S. Department of Justice previously announced three counts against Allen: attempting to assassinate Trump, transporting firearms and ammunition across state lines with intent to commit a felony, and using a firearm during a violent act. A conviction for attempted assassination carries a potential life sentence.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Allen traveled from his home near Los Angeles to Chicago by train, then to Washington, D.C., on April 24, a day before the dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel.
During the dinner, Allen approached a security checkpoint on the hotel rooftop, above the ballroom where Trump was present. “He ran through the metal detector, holding a long gun. A Secret Service agent heard a loud gunshot,” Blanche described. “An agent was shot in the chest but survived thanks to his bulletproof vest. That hero fired five shots toward Allen, missing him but causing him to fall to the ground, where he was immediately arrested.”
Allen carried a handgun, a semi-automatic pistol, and three knives. The shooting was seen as the third assassination attempt on Trump since 2024, shaking U.S. politics. The White House accused Democratic opponents of inciting political violence through verbal attacks, while Trump was also criticized for using the incident to censor rivals.
