Newly unsealed federal court filings reveal that Cole Tomas Allen, the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday, spent years acquiring weapons and days traveling across the country by train before the attack.
The filings, which include a criminal complaint and a seven-page FBI affidavit unsealed on Monday, detail a calculated journey that began in California.
According to investigators, Allen purchased a .38 caliber semi-automatic pistol in October 2023 and a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun in August 2025.
On April 21, 2026, Allen boarded an Amtrak train near Los Angeles. Records show he traveled to Chicago before catching a connecting train to Washington, D.C., arriving at Union Station around 1:00 p.m. on Friday, April 24. He checked into the Washington Hilton—the site of the dinner—later that afternoon.
READ: “Illegal Power Grab”: Florida State Rep. Angie Nixon Blasts DeSantis’ New Redistricting Map
The situation turned violent at approximately 8:40 p.m. on Saturday. Federal agents say Allen rushed a security checkpoint on the hotel’s Terrace Level while carrying a long gun.
A Secret Service officer, identified in documents as V.G., was shot once in the chest during the encounter. The officer’s ballistic vest stopped the round, and he was able to return fire. Allen was not hit by the gunfire but sustained minor injuries during his arrest.
A digital trail left by the suspect suggests the timing was intentional. Moments before the breach, Allen allegedly sent a scheduled email to family and a former employer containing a file titled “Apology and Explanation.”
In the document, Allen wrote, “I apologize to my parents for saying I had an interview without specifying it was for ‘Most Wanted.'”
He further stated that he viewed government officials as “targets” and expressed a desire to “minimize casualties” by using buckshot instead of slugs to prevent rounds from traveling through walls.
READ: DeSantis Drops Redistricting Bombshell: New Map Could Wipe Out Florida Democrats
The email was signed “Cole ‘coldForce’ ‘Friendly Federal Assassin’ Allen.”
Allen appeared in federal court on Monday to face three felony charges: attempting to assassinate the president, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and transporting firearms across state lines with the intent to commit a felony. After receiving medical treatment at Howard University Hospital, he was remanded into law enforcement custody.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
