Cole Allen charged with attempted assassination of President Trump

Cole Tomas Allen.

Cole Allen, the suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington, D.C., made his first appearance in federal court on Monday, where he was charged with attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump, among other serious crimes.

Allen, 31, appeared in court wearing a blue jumpsuit and answered questions asked by the judge, including pronouncing his full name, Cole Tomas Allen, and confirming his age, according to The New York Post. He's one count of attempted assassination of the President of the United States, the criminal complaint shows. 

The teacher and CalTech graduate was also slapped with other federal charges, including crossing state lines with numerous firearms. Authorities say Allen was armed with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun as well as a semi-automatic handgun, the Post reported. In addition to the guns, prosecutors say he was armed with three knives. Federal prosecutors also charged Allen with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, ABC News reported. 

Allen is being represented by federal defenders and did not enter a plea during Monday's court appearance. The judge presiding over the hearing granted prosecutors' request to keep Allen in custody as he awaits additional hearings later this week. According to ABC News, the attempted assassination charges carry a maximum sentence of a life prison term. 

The charges stem from Saturday night's attack at the Washington Hilton Hotel, where prosecutors allege Allen attempted to storm a ballroom where the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner was about to get underway. Secret Service agents were able to subdue and apprehend Allen, but not before shots were fired. One Secret Service agent was hit by gunfire, and saved by the bulletproof vest he was wearing. President Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and several members of the Cabinet were rushed out of the ballroom in the tense moments after the gunshots rang out. 

Allen reportedly sent an in-depth manifesto to family members moments before he rushed the ballroom. The manifesto was littered with grievances toward the Trump administration and a vow to do "as much damage as he could" by killing everyone from Trump to the rest of the high-ranking officials in the room, with the exception of FBI Director Kash Patel. In the manifesto, Allen referred to himself as the "Friendly Federal Assassin."

Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, said at press conference Monday that Allen booked a room at the Washington Hilton on April 6, traveled by train from the L.A. area to Chicago, where he arrived on April 23. Pirro said Allen took another train to D.C. and checked into the hotel on Friday, April 23 at around 3 p.m. She went on to say more charges against Allen would be filed.

The attempt on Trump's life is the third major assassination attempt against him in less than two years. It comes 45 years after President Ronald Reagan was shot at the Washington Hilton Hotel. Reagan was hospitalized and survived the 1981 shooting by John Hinckley, but the hotel has carried the haunting nickname the "Hinckley Hilton" ever since. 

Below, watch the press conference where Pirro, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel all discussed the case.