Washington DC - Cole Allen, the man who allegedly fired shots during the recent White House Correspondents' Dinner, is now facing serious charges – including attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump.
According to NPR, Allen (31) made his first appearance in federal court on Monday.
During the court proceedings, prosecutors detailed how he rushed through security at the Washington Hilton, where the event took place this past Saturday night, while wielding a pump-action shotgun, a semi-automatic pistol, and three knives.
As he was confronted by security at a checkpoint, shots were fired, with one Secret Service agent being hit in his protective vest but not seriously injured.
Allen was eventually arrested and taken into custody.
Despite the fact that he did not get close to the president or other officials, Allen is now being charged with attempting to assassinate the president, for which he can face life in prison.
He is also facing charges for transporting a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce for use in a felony, and for the discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.
Immediately after the incident, a manifesto allegedly written by Allen was publicly released, in which he detailed why Trump administration officials were the "targets" of the attack. It alluded to several issues with the president, including Trump's connections to sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
The White House has blamed a "left-wing cult of hatred" for inciting violence such as the dinner shooting, and two other assassination attempts on President Trump's life.