Cole Tomas Allen, the 31-year-old suspect accused of attempting to enter the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday night while carrying multiple firearms, was formally charged Monday with attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump.
Allen, who was making his first court appearance, is also facing two federal gun charges, including interstate transportation of weapons and discharge of a firearm during a violent crime, according to a court filing. He did not enter a plea and will reappear in court in three days to determine if he will remain in detention, according to NBC News.
Authorities identified Allen, a California resident, as the suspect arrested Saturday night. They said he planned to target high-profile members of the administration during the annual dinner, a gathering of thousands of journalists, administration officials and politicians that took place at the Washington Hilton.