A man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump during the White House correspondents’ dinner has entered a plea of not guilty. Cole Allen faces charges for the attempted assassination of the president, assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon, and two additional firearms charges stemming from the incident on April 25.
Allegedly, Allen ran through a security checkpoint and shot a shotgun at a Secret Service officer, causing chaos at the upscale event. Following gunshots heard outside the Washington Hilton ballroom, where the event was taking place, President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and senior officials were swiftly evacuated to safety.
Approximately 2,500 guests, mostly journalists, attending the dinner sought shelter under tables as the gunshots rang out. In court, Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California, remained silent as his attorney entered the not guilty pleas on his behalf.
During a previous hearing, it was revealed that the alleged gunman’s shots missed the Secret Service agent, who then fired back five times. A bullet struck an agent’s Kevlar vest, possibly fired by a colleague. When apprehended, the alleged attacker was found in possession of knives and a pistol.
This event is still developing, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
