https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/On April 25, 2026 a man ran through a Secret Service checkpoint at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton and fired a shotgun, according to the Justice Department. Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was indicted on four federal counts including attempting to assassinate the President. He has pleaded not guilty, is presumed innocent and is due for jury selection in September 2027.enhttps://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e24whca-dinner-shooting-case-ba2eab6a99Thu, 29 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Judge McFadden set jury selection to begin on September 7, 2027, with a trial expected to last three to four weeks, the Associated Press reported. Prosecutors had proposed May 2027. CNN reported the defense sought more time to review ballistic reports.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e23whca-dinner-shooting-case-71d13fa473Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000Judge McFadden denied a defense request for Allen to appear unrestrained at pretrial hearings, citing the seriousness of the allegations. Prosecutors were ready to look at trial dates in April 2027 and the defense asked for more time for discovery and forensic experts. A status conference was set for October 5.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e22whca-dinner-shooting-case-1af29fa8bcWed, 01 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000Trump spoke at the rescheduled correspondents' dinner about three months after the April attack, the Associated Press reported.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e21whca-dinner-shooting-case-2648d067d1Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000The parties and the court agreed to pause the speedy trial clock by 45 days because of extensive discovery, with a trial date expected to be discussed at an August 20 hearing, the Washington Examiner reported.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e20whca-dinner-shooting-case-bd30aee7abMon, 22 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000Judge McFadden denied the motion, finding no disqualifying conflict from the officials' attendance, public statements or Pirro's friendship with the President. He noted Allen is not charged with trying to harm them.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e19whca-dinner-shooting-case-8776e09063Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000The White House Correspondents' Association said the dinner would be held on July 24. Its president, Weijia Jiang, said the board chose to reschedule after consideration.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e18whca-dinner-shooting-case-dd52cf3bcfMon, 11 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000Before US District Judge Trevor McFadden, Allen's attorney entered not guilty pleas on his behalf, the Associated Press reported. The defense asked to disqualify Blanche and Pirro, who attended the dinner, as possible victims or witnesses. Prosecutors were told to respond by May 22.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e17whca-dinner-shooting-case-c56ec6ba4fTue, 05 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000A federal grand jury indictment (case 26cr98) charges Allen with attempt to assassinate the President, assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon (18 U.S.C. 111, per Courthouse News), interstate transport of a firearm and ammunition with intent to commit a felony, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e16whca-dinner-shooting-case-984532befcMon, 04 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui held a hearing on Allen's jail conditions, including a padded cell and constant lighting, and apologized to him, ABC News reported. The Associated Press reported Allen had been on suicide watch and was later removed. The jail's lawyer said the measures were for safety.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e15whca-dinner-shooting-case-dfe12df7a7Sun, 03 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said on CNN that buckshot from Allen's shotgun was intertwined with the fiber of the officer's vest and that the officer did not shoot himself, ABC News reported. Prosecutors had not released ballistics results.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e14whca-dinner-shooting-case-e1db2eefa6Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000At a detention hearing Allen agreed to remain in custody, and his attorney said he would not immediately contest the claim that he is a danger to the community, Reuters reported. The defense said he has no prior arrests or convictions.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e12whca-dinner-shooting-case-035802b540Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000In a detention memo the government argued that no release conditions could assure community safety and that the evidence was overwhelming. A filing said Allen was willing to commit a mass shooting among the highest-ranking officials, according to Reuters.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e13whca-dinner-shooting-case-46c3dacd69Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000Allen's lawyers wrote to prosecutors that statements by Blanche indicated the ballistics evidence was inconsistent with parts of the government's theory, The Independent reported. Reuters reported the defense disputed whether Allen shot the officer.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e10whca-dinner-shooting-case-82f066a574Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000An FBI affidavit sworn before Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh supports a complaint charging Allen with attempting to assassinate the President (18 U.S.C. 1751(c)), transporting a firearm and ammunition interstate with intent to commit a felony (18 U.S.C. 924(b)) and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence (18 U.S.C. 924(c)(1)(A)(iii)).https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e11whca-dinner-shooting-case-33f0b38ac9Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000At his first appearance in federal court in Washington, Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh ordered Allen detained pending a further hearing, Reuters reported. Allen had not responded to the allegations.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e6whca-dinner-shooting-case-e306e0971dSat, 25 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000Prosecutors say pre-scheduled emails went to relatives at about 8:30 p.m. (the FBI affidavit says shortly before 8:40 p.m.). According to prosecutors, Allen called himself a "Friendly Federal Assassin" and listed administration officials as targets. The defense notes the writings never named Trump.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e5whca-dinner-shooting-case-cdf8769ecfSat, 25 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000The government's detention memo says a mirror photo was taken in Allen's hotel room at about 8:03 p.m., that he revisited a presidential schedule webpage at about 8:13 p.m. and viewed live video of the President en route at about 8:27 p.m.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e4whca-dinner-shooting-case-972ad0fc31Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000The dinner's main program began at 8:00 p.m., according to the government's detention memo, and the President arrived at approximately 8:00 p.m., according to the FBI affidavit. The memo says Vice President JD Vance and about a dozen Cabinet members also attended.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e7whca-dinner-shooting-case-4d8d33bcb0Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000The Justice Department says that shortly after 8:30 p.m. (the FBI affidavit says approximately 8:40 p.m.) Allen ran through a magnetometer with a 12-gauge shotgun and fired, hitting a Secret Service officer once in the chest. The affidavit says the officer wore a ballistic vest. The officer fired five times. Allen had a minor knee injury, was not shot, and was arrested. The defense has questioned whether Allen's shot hit the officer.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e8whca-dinner-shooting-case-ee9da75c34Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000Security rushed Trump off the stage and the event ended early, the Associated Press reported. Reuters reported a tactical vest stopped the shot and the officer left hospital hours later. About two hours after the attack Trump spoke at the White House.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e3whca-dinner-shooting-case-1fec7093f9Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000The FBI affidavit says Allen arrived in Washington at approximately 1:00 p.m. and checked in to the Washington Hilton at approximately 3:00 p.m., the day before the dinner.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e2whca-dinner-shooting-case-77867d7230Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000From April 21 to 23 Allen travelled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago, and from April 23 to 24 from Chicago to Washington, according to the FBI affidavit. Prosecutors say he carried a shotgun, a pistol, knives and daggers.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e1whca-dinner-shooting-case-b047e8daadMon, 06 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000Prosecutors allege Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, reserved a room at the Washington Hilton, where the dinner was held, for April 24 to 26, according to an FBI affidavit and the Justice Department.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e9whca-dinner-shooting-case-685ed2e672Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the security system worked because Allen was stopped, NPR reported. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called it the third major assassination attempt against Trump, according to Reuters.https://howitunfolded.com/incidents/whca-dinner-shooting-case/#e0whca-dinner-shooting-case-c408d826b3Sun, 01 Mar 2026 12:00:00 +0000President Donald Trump announced in early March that he would attend the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, according to prosecutors as reported by NPR.