The man accused of shooting a U.S. Secret Service agent while attempting to breach security at a Washington dinner attended by President Donald Trump is now facing federal charges for attempting to assassinate the POTUS, a judge said in court on Monday.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, is also facing firearms charges in a three-count complaint.
During his initial appearance in Washington federal court, Allen was seen wearing a blue prison jumpsuit, just two days after authorities reported that they had thwarted an attack at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, an annual black-tie event for journalists and politicians.
Allen has not yet provided a response to the allegations. While seated at the defense table, flanked by U.S. Marshals, he stated that he would answer all questions honestly and mentioned that he holds a master's degree in computer science.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh ordered Allen to be detained as the case progresses. Sharbaugh has scheduled another hearing regarding Allen's continued detention for Thursday.
Meanwhile, family friend Shannon McKinney spoke to the Daily Mail and described the Allen family as “a loving, two-parent family”. Rosalia Hernandez, a former neighbor, recalled knowing Cole as a charming little boy from the age of three, coming from a well-adjusted family, although she had not been in contact with him for many years.
The alleged shooter was quite accomplished, having obtained his master's degree in computer science and worked as a mechanical engineer as well as a part-time tutor.
However, it is challenging to measure up to his high-achieving younger siblings, who were raised by a mother - Kathy - who worked as a teacher and a father -Thomas - who served as a church leader.
Cole's youngest sister, Stephanie, now approximately 23 years old, was merely an undergraduate at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California, when she became part of a new team funded by the Department of Energy, focusing on particle accelerators and dark matter.
This project led her to the National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford, where she performed experiments with electron beams that are utilized in cancer treatment, as detailed in a report by the lab.
Cole's younger brother Gabriel, 25, has been accepted into the highly selective Webb Institute in New York, which admits fewer than 30 students annually to pursue studies in naval architecture and marine engineering.
Additionally, Gabriel is in the process of establishing his own family, having relocated to New London, Connecticut, approximately in 2024.
He and his wife Ashley, whom he wed last July, are anticipating the arrival of their first child this month, Daily Mail reported, citing their wedding registry.
Avriana, 27, completed her studies at the esteemed Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and secured a position as a web developer at the nonprofit newsroom CalMatters, where she developed interactive voter guides for the 2021 recall election, the 2022 midterm elections, and the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
Currently, she is employed at the Pew Research Center located in Washington, DC.
Avriana and Gabriel exhibited no remorse in reporting their brother, as indicated by accounts of their discussions with law enforcement.
