He described himself as a “friendly federal assassin.” When he stormed the security perimeter at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday, the 31-year-old suspect was targeting senior Trump administration officials, likely including the President of the United States. Quickly slowed down in his race, he did not achieve his objective. Only one police officer was slightly injured.
Everything was premeditated: Cole Tomas Allen had reserved a hotel room at the Washington Hilton for several weeks. Then he traveled by train from Los Angeles to Washington, via Chicago, to avoid airport checks. He was carrying two firearms and several knives.