Cole Tomas Allen, the man accused of opening fire at a security checkpoint during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, D.C., now faces a terrorism charge in addition to the attempted assassination case against him.
The 31-year-old was charged in a five-count superseding indictment unsealed Friday in federal court, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The new count accuses Allen of committing an act of terrorism while armed in connection with the alleged attempted first-degree murder of President Donald Trump.
Allen was already facing four federal charges, including attempting to assassinate Trump, assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon, transporting a firearm and ammunition across state lines to commit a felony, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to the indictment, the shooting happened shortly after 8:30 p.m. on April 25, 2026, at the Washington Hilton. Allen allegedly ran through a Secret Service security checkpoint on the hotel’s Terrace Level and headed toward the stairs leading to the ballroom where Trump was attending the dinner.
Prosecutors said Allen fired a Mossberg Maverick 88 12-gauge shotgun, striking a Secret Service officer in the chest. The officer returned fire, shooting five times, but Allen was not hit. He fell to the ground, was restrained by law enforcement and arrested. He suffered a minor knee injury, according to the DOJ.
Authorities said Allen was carrying the shotgun, a .38-caliber pistol, dozens of rounds of ammunition, 2 knives and 4 daggers, along with multiple holsters and other equipment when he was taken into custody.
Allen has pleaded not guilty to the original charges. He has not yet entered a plea to the new terrorism count.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and prosecuted by attorneys from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. If convicted, Allen faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Today, we are releasing video already provided to U.S. District Court showing Cole Allen shoot a U.S. Secret Service officer during his attempt to assassinate the President at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. There is no evidence the shooting was the result of friendly fire. The video also shows Allen casing the area in the Hilton Hotel the day before the attack. My office along with the @FBI will continue this extensive investigation to bring Cole Allen to justice.
— US Attorney Pirro (@USAttyPirro) April 30, 2026