The California man who authorities say rushed toward the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner armed with guns and knives faces three criminal charges, as federal prosecutors on Monday accused him of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump and target other administration officials.
The defendant, Cole Allen, who appeared in court in Washington and was held without bond, was charged with the attempted assassination of the president, along with two firearm-related counts.
Jeanine Pirro, U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, said at a press conference Monday that there would be additional charges as the investigation unfolds. “This was an attempted assassination of the president of the United States, with the defendant making clear what his intent was, and that intent was to bring down as many of the high-ranking Cabinet officials as he could,” she said.
