A U.S. court filing on Wednesday raised questions about who fired the shot that wounded a Secret Service officer during an alleged attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. The detention motion says suspect Cole Tomas Allen fired a shotgun toward the ballroom stairs and that a spent cartridge was recovered, but it does not say who struck the wounded officer. An earlier affidavit identifies Officer 'V.G.' as injured while wearing a ballistic vest, and a Washington Post review of security footage found no clear evidence Allen fired. Investigators are continuing to review ballistics and video evidence.
New Court Filing Casts Doubt Over Who Shot Secret Service Officer at White House Correspondents' Dinner
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro points at a picture of a shotgun carried by Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the shooting incident in Washington at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner, as she and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel, Assistant Director in Charge (ADIC) of the FBI Washington Field Office Darren Cox take part in a press conference about the shooting incident, at the U.S. Department of Justice, in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 27, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper/File Photo
April 29 (Reuters) - A U.S. government court filing on Wednesday raised fresh questions about who fired the round that struck a Secret Service officer during an alleged assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
What the Filings Say
The detention motion says the suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, fired a shotgun 'in the direction of the stairs leading down to the ballroom' where former President Donald Trump, administration officials and reporters were gathered on Saturday night. Prosecutors noted a spent cartridge was recovered in the suspect's shotgun and referenced an officer firing five times, but the motion does not state that any officer was hit.
An earlier affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint did state that Secret Service personnel 'heard a loud gunshot' and that an officer identified only by the initials 'V.G.' was struck once while wearing a ballistic vest. That affidavit, however, did not identify who fired the shot that hit Officer V.G.
Conflicting Public Statements
The new filing contrasts with earlier public comments by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro. Hours after the incident, Pirro told reporters the suspect would be charged with 'assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon' — a charge not yet filed — and Blanche said he believed shots from Allen's shotgun hit the officer, while adding that investigators were still reviewing the evidence.
Blanche said at a press conference: 'We're still looking at that.' He also noted that buckshot 'scatters everywhere, and sometimes it just disappears.'
Independent Review and Video Analysis
A Washington Post review of security footage obtained by the newspaper found no clear indication in the video that Allen fired his weapon. The Post's examination concluded that a law enforcement officer fired multiple times at the suspect as he ran through the checkpoint at the Washington Hilton hotel, and that at one moment other security personnel appear to be in that officer's line of fire.
Charges and Evidence
Prosecutors charged Allen with attempting to assassinate the president. Court filings include a photo Allen took in a hotel-room mirror shortly before the incident showing him dressed in black, with a red tie tucked into his pants and equipped with an ammunition bag, shoulder holster, sheathed knife, pliers and wire cutters. Excerpts of a manifesto filed in court quoted Allen saying he would use buckshot 'rather than slugs (less penetration through walls)' to 'minimize casualties.'
Ongoing Investigation
Authorities continue to examine ballistics, forensic evidence and video to determine precisely who fired the shot that wounded Officer V.G. Officials have declined to identify the shooter publicly and have not ruled out that more than one firearm was discharged during the brief confrontation.
Reporting: Julia Harte; Additional reporting by Andy Sullivan, Trevor Hunnicutt and Andrew Goudsward. Editing: Ross Colvin and Lisa Shumaker.
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