A US grand jury has charged Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, with terrorism, according to American media reports.
Reports said the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia added the new charge based on allegations that Allen attempted to kill Trump with the intention of influencing executive branch policies and intimidating the civilian population.
The new indictment describes the charge as an “act of terrorism using a weapon (attempted first-degree murder),” alleging that the defendant intended to kill the US president in order to influence the policies and activities of the American government.
Details of the Attempted Assassination of Trump
The shooting incident took place on April 25 during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, an event Trump had decided to attend for the first time during his two presidential terms.
US authorities later announced the arrest of Cole Tomas Allen, 31, who resides in California.
The new terrorism charge marks a significant development in a case that has drawn widespread attention in Washington’s political and media circles. It has been added to a series of federal charges Allen has faced since May, including attempting to assassinate the president of the United States and assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon.
According to US media reports citing the District of Columbia US Attorney’s Office, the addition of the new charge could raise the maximum potential penalty facing the defendant to life imprisonment, pending the conclusion of federal court proceedings.
