Revealed: Full details of Cole Allen's plan to assassinate Trump emerge in court
The suspect appeared in front of a federal judge where he was told he could face a life sentence if convicted of attempting to assassinate the president
The suspected gunman accused of trying to assassinate President Trump spent "weeks" planning the attack, a court has heard as pictures of the weapons have emerged.
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Cole Tomas Allen appeared before a federal magistrate judge on Monday where he was told he could face a life sentence if found guilty.
The 31-year-old was charged with attempting to assassinate Trump, in a plot which authorities claim he began plotting in early April.
The president was at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday along with Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of Health Robert F Kennedy Jr, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and top aide Stephen Miller, when the sound of gunshots was heard and the building was evacuated.
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Jeanine Pirro, prosecuting, said that Allen had booked a three-night stay at the hotel before carrying out the attack, one month after Trump said he would attend the event for the first time as president.
Allen, an engineer and tutor from Torrance, California, appeared subdued throughout the hearing and spoke only to confirm his details while flanked by three US marshals.
He answered the judge's questions with "yes, your honour" or "no, your honour", and examined the documents in front of him.
Prosecutors claim that the suspect traveled from California to Washington by train and brought weapons with him, with a shotgun, handgun, and multiple knives recovered after his arrest.
Allen is also said to have sent a manifesto to relatives around ten minutes before the attack.
The court was told that after checking into the hotel, where the dinner was held, at around 3pm on the Friday, Allen stayed overnight and was "very much aware" the following day when Mr and Mrs Trump arrived at around 8pm.
Around 40 minutes later, Allen "made the decision to rush to the ballroom" while allegedly armed with a shotgun, handgun and knives.
He was stopped by a Secret Service agent who was shot but saved by a bulletproof vest. The officer fired five times at Allen, who was not hit, but fell to the ground and arrested, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said.
The officer was taken to hospital but was later discharged.
Jocelyn Ballantine, an assistant US attorney, said Allen had been armed with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, semi-automatic pistol, three knives and “other dangerous paraphernalia”.
He was also charged with transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce and the discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. He could also face further charges.
Speaking after the incident, Trump said: "I wasn’t worried, I understand life. We live in a crazy world."
Describing how he was told to drop to the floor for his own safety, he added: "I was walking out, about halfway there, and they said, ‘Please go down to the floor. Please go down to the floor.'
"So I dropped to the floor. So did the First Lady.
"My thought was I’ve been through this a couple of times."
At the conclusion of the hearing, Allen was led out of a side door by the marshals. He is expected to appear again on Thursday, when the court will decide whether or not to grant him bail.
Speaking after the hearing, Ms Pirro issued a warning to suspects who commit political violence in the US.
She said: "We will find you, we will track your steps from the inception of your plan, and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law."