The man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at a black-tie press event in Washington agreed Thursday to remain in custody pending further investigation in his case.
The suspect, 31-year-old Cole Allen, would not immediately contest prosecutors’ arguments that he is a danger to the community and should remain in prison, his lawyer, Tejira Abe, said during a court hearing.
Allen reportedly stormed a security checkpoint and fired a gun outside the White House correspondents’ dinner on Saturday.
Prosecutors argued that Allen had carefully planned the attack on Trump and other officials of his administration as they dined with about 2,600 journalists, politicians and others in a ballroom at the Washington Hilton Hotel.
They alleged in a legal filing that Allen traveled by train from his California hometown to Washington armed with a shotgun, a .38-caliber pistol, as well as a knife and dagger and was “prepared to conduct a mass shooting inside a room filled with the highest-ranking officials in the U.S. government.”
Allen has been charged with attempted murder, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and illegally transporting guns and ammunition across state lines. He has not filed any petition yet.
In court filings, his defense attorneys highlighted flaws in the government’s case, including questions about whether Allen shot the U.S. Secret Service agent, as authorities initially claimed.
Allen’s defense team said he had no previous arrests or convictions and was an active member of his Christian church family.
Prosecutors have not alleged in court that Allen shot the agent, who authorities said was struck by gunfire but escaped serious injury because of his ballistic vest.
Allen is accused of firing the gun toward the stairs leading to the ballroom. According to court documents, a U.S. Secret Service agent heard a “loud bang” and found a spent casing in the barrel of the gun.
Prosecutors alleged that Allen intended to target Trump, citing an email Allen reportedly sent to relatives on the night of the shooting in which he appeared to refer to Trump as a traitor and a criminal. The emails do not mention Trump by name, but do mention the targeting of administration officials from the highest to the lowest ranks.—Reuters
