Washington dinner shooting suspect pleads not guilty

May 11, 2026

A 31-year-old California man has entered a not guilty plea to charges of attempting to assassinate President Trump and federal gun offenses following an attack at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington DC. Cole Tomas Allen allegedly traveled from California to Washington, armed himself with multiple weapons in his hotel room, and attempted to breach security by running through a metal detector with a shotgun toward the ballroom where the president and other officials were gathered. During the incident, Allen exchanged gunfire with Secret Service agents, with one agent being struck but protected by body armor before Allen was tackled near the ballroom entrance.

Who is affected

Cole Tomas Allen (defendant charged with crimes)
President Donald Trump (alleged assassination target)
Vice-President JD Vance (evacuated from event)
US Secret Service agent (shot but saved by bulletproof vest)
Cabinet members and White House officials (evacuated from event)
Journalists attending the White House Correspondents' dinner
US District Judge Trevor McFadden (presiding judge)
Allen's defense attorneys Eugene Ohm and team
US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro and Attorney General Todd Blanche (prosecutors whom defense seeks to disqualify)

What action is being taken

Allen has pleaded not guilty to the charges
US District Judge Trevor McFadden is presiding over the case
Allen's lawyers have requested disqualification of federal prosecutors from the case
The justice department has been directed to respond to the disqualification request

Why it matters

This case represents a direct attack on the President of the United States and other high-ranking government officials at a major public event, raising serious concerns about presidential security and protection of government leaders. The incident demonstrates vulnerabilities in security protocols at prominent events despite Secret Service presence. The legal proceedings will determine accountability for what prosecutors describe as an assassination attempt and establish precedents for how such cases are handled, while the defense's motion to disqualify prosecutors raises important questions about conflicts of interest in cases involving attacks on government officials.

What's next

The justice department must respond to the defense's disqualification request by 22 June
US District Judge Trevor McFadden will continue presiding over the remainder of the case

Read full article from source: BBC