New Terrorism Charge Filed Against Alleged Shooter at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner

WASHINGTON - Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was charged in a 5-count superseding indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court with, among other crimes, a terrorism offense in connection with the April 25, 2026, shooting during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Allen previously was charged with attempting to assassinate the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, assaulting an officer or employee of the United States with a deadly weapon, transporting a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with the intent to commit a felony, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

The superseding indictment adds one count of act of terrorism while armed (for the attempted first-degree murder of the President of the United States) in violation of the D.C. criminal code. The maximum penalty Allen faces is life imprisonment.

The 2026 Dinner took place on April 25, 2026, at the Washington Hilton.  President Trump was present. Shortly after 8:30 p.m., the defendant approached a U.S. Secret Service (USSS) security screening checkpoint located on the Terrace Level of the hotel and sprinted through one of the magnetometers at the checkpoint and ran in the direction of the stairs leading to the ballroom where President Trump was located.   

As the defendant did so, he fired a Mossberg Maverick 88 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, hitting a USSS officer once in the chest. The USSS officer drew his service weapon and fired five times at the defendant. The defendant fell to the ground, was restrained by law enforcement, and was placed under arrest. The defendant suffered a minor injury to his knee but was not shot.   

At the time of his arrest, the defendant was in possession of the Mossberg shotgun with one spent cartridge in the barrel. The defendant also possessed a Rock Island Armory 1911 .38 caliber pistol, dozens of rounds of unspent 12-gauge shotgun ammunition and .38 caliber ammunition, two knives, four daggers, multiple sheaths, multiple holsters, needle nose pliers, and wire cutters. 

This investigation is being conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Ballantine, Charles R. Jones, and Adam P. Barry of the National Security Section for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.   

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