A Secret Service agent who was injured during the attempted assassination of US President Donald Trump may have been hit by a bullet fired by a fellow officer.The incident occurred last week during a White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, where an armed man attempted to storm the venue.
During the court hearing, it was revealed that the agent who was injured fired five shots at the suspect, but was not hit by return fire in a confirmed exchange.“This heroic officer who was struck shot five times at Allen, who was not shot but fell to the ground and was immediately arrested,” Acting Prosecutor Todd Blanche said.He added that the attacker fired a weapon but refused to confirm who hit the agent. “The defendant fired his gun, and we know that happened.
But as far as talking about precision ballistics, I won’t do that today.”The suspect, Cole Thomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was charged with attempted assassination of the president and two other federal crimes. Prosecutors say more charges are likely to be filed as the investigation continues.Allen was armed with a rifle, a handgun and knives when he tried to enter the dining area where Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and senior officials were attending the annual event.
He was seen running through the hotel lobby but was stopped before he reached the main hall. The president and his team were quickly evacuated while the guests took shelter.The injured agent survived after the bullet struck the Kevlar vest. The suspect was contained before reaching the high-profile attendees.Investigators have since revealed more about Allen’s background. His family had raised concerns about his behavior in the days before the accident.
His sister told officials he would often talk about doing “something” to fix problems in the world, while his brother alerted police after receiving a 1,000-word statement from Allen.Allen holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology and has no prior criminal record, according to his lawyer. Law enforcement sources say he purchased firearms legally and regularly trains at shooting ranges.The attempted attack is one of many threats Trump has faced in recent years. It follows a previous incident in Pennsylvania in 2024 and another case involving a conspiracy at a golf course in Florida, where a man was later convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
