Federal prosecutors released security camera footage Thursday showing Cole Tomas Allen’s alleged attempt to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in an effort to kill Donald Trump.
- Prosecution Claim: Allen cased the hotel and shot a Secret Service agent while rushing a checkpoint.
- Secret Service Account: Director Sean Curran stated Allen tripped over a magnetometer box and was not hit by gunfire.
- Defense Dispute: Public defenders and video analysis suggest only four shots were fired, all by the Secret Service agent.
Evidence and Prosecution Claims
Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor in Washington DC, released the edited, audio-less footage in a social media post to address questions regarding whether Allen fired his weapon before being subdued.
Pirro claimed the video shows Allen casing the hotel the night before the Saturday event. She further alleged that Allen shot a Secret Service agent while rushing through a metal detector checkpoint as officers were moving magnetometers used for guest screening.
According to Pirro, there is no evidence that the agent, who wore a bulletproof vest, was hit by friendly fire. The annotated and slowed-down video has been provided to the US district court.
Conflicting Reports on the Shooting
The release follows statements from US Secret Service director Sean Curran, who stated that Allen was stopped after tripping over a box used to transport a metal detector. Curran confirmed that Allen was not hit by any of the five shots fired at him by a Secret Service agent.
While Curran reiterated the government’s claim that Allen fired first, this contention has been challenged by public defenders and independent video analysis. The analysis documented only four shots fired, all of which were attributed to the Secret Service agent.
In a letter to federal prosecutors, public defenders noted that acting attorney general Todd Blanche suggested the government is still working to produce ballistic evidence proving the agent, identified by the initials VG, was shot by Allen.
Allen, a tutor from Torrance, California, was charged Monday with attempting to assassinate the US president, transportation of firearms to commit a felony, and unlawful discharge of a firearm during violence. He has yet to enter a plea and agreed Thursday to remain in federal custody.
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