Federal prosecutors on Monday brought attempted assassination charges against the California man accused of opening fire at the White House correspondents’ dinner and writing a manifesto saying he was targeting President Trump and his Cabinet.
Prosecutors updated charges against Cole Thomas Allen, 31, during his arraignment in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia. He is also charged with transportation of a firearm and using a firearm during a violent crime. An initial charge of assault of a federal officer has been dropped.
He will remain in federal custody. A detention hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
Mr. Allen is accused of attempting to breach a security checkpoint and shooting a Secret Service agent Saturday evening inside the Washington Hilton.
The agent was protected by a bulletproof vest and fellow agents tackled the suspect to the ground moments later, authorities said. Officials said a handgun and a shotgun were found on Mr. Allen after he was detained.
A manifesto that Mr. Allen reportedly emailed to relatives just before the shooting said he wanted to target members of the Trump administration “from highest-ranking to lowest.”
“I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes,” the manifesto reads, in what is thought of as a reference to Mr. Trump.
The document, which was signed “Cole ’coldForce’ ’Friendly Federal Assassin’ Allen,” discussed hypothetical rebuttals to Mr. Allen’s alleged assassination attempt ands explanations for why he felt compelled to make an attempt on the president’s life.
“Turning the other cheek is for when you yourself are oppressed. I’m not the person raped in a detention camp. I’m not the fisherman executed without trial,” the manifesto reads, which officials said was sent to family members minutes ahead of the attack.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Mr. Allen, who lives in the Los Angeles suburb of Torrance, traveled across the country by train before arriving at the Washington Hilton this weekend.
The manifesto also commented on how lax security was despite the president being in attendance.
“Like, if I was an Iranian agent, instead of an American citizen, I could have brought a damn Ma Deuce in here and no one would have noticed s—-,” the document reads, mentioning a nickname for the Browning M2 .50-caliber machine gun.
