Terrorism Charge Added Against LA County Man Accused In Trump Assassination Attempt

A Los Angeles County man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in April is now facing a terrorism charge, according to a new federal indictment.

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, was charged with an act of terrorism while armed in a five-count superseding indictment unsealed Friday in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The new charge claims that Allen attempted to kill Trump with the intent to influence federal government policy through intimidation and coercion and to intimidate a significant portion of the civilian population.

Allen faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted, prosecutors said.

The indictment retains four previous charges against Allen: attempting to assassinate the president, assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon, transporting firearms and ammunition across state lines with intent to commit a felony, and discharging a firearm during a violent crime.

The charges stem from the April 25 shooting at the Washington Hilton, where Trump was attending the annual dinner alongside journalists and government officials.

Shortly after 8:30 p.m., Allen is accused of sprinting through a Secret Service security checkpoint before he headed toward a staircase leading to the ballroom where Trump was located, according to federal prosecutors.

As he ran, Allen fired a 12-gauge shotgun, striking a Secret Service officer in the chest, authorities said.

The officer, who was wearing a bullet-resistant vest, survived the shooting. He fired five shots at Allen, but none struck him, according to the Justice Department.

Allen fell to the ground and was arrested. He suffered a minor knee injury during the incident.

Trump was unharmed in the shooting and was rushed off the stage by his security detail.

According to authorities, Allen was carrying a Mossberg Maverick 88 shotgun, a .38-caliber semiautomatic pistol, about 100 rounds of ammunition, two knives and four daggers, authorities said. He had brought the guns and ammunition from California to Washington.

Federal investigators previously claimed that Allen planned the attack for weeks, reserving a room at the Washington Hilton in early April before traveling by train from California to Washington.

Minutes before the shooting, Allen took a photograph of himself in his hotel room wearing an ammunition bag, shoulder holster and sheathed knife, according to earlier court filings.

In messages reviewed by investigators, Allen referred to himself as a "Friendly Federal Assassin" and alluded to grievances with the Trump administration.

Allen pleaded not guilty to the original charges during a May court appearance.