The Justice Department released video that appears to show Cole Tomas Allen inside the Washington Hilton on April 24 and later charging a security checkpoint while carrying a weapon. Prosecutors say the footage corroborates their version of events, though the allegations remain unproven in court. Allen is in federal custody facing charges including attempted assassination of the president; a Secret Service agent was shot while wearing a ballistic vest and is expected to recover.
DOJ Releases Video Showing Suspect Inside Washington Hilton Before Rushing Security Checkpoint
Law enforcement personnel detain Cole Tomas Allen, a suspect in the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, D.C., on April 25, 2026.(Reuters)
Newly released Justice Department video appears to show Cole Tomas Allen moving through the Washington Hilton in the hours before an incident tied to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and later charging a security checkpoint while holding what looks like a weapon.
What the Footage Shows
The clips show Allen, 31, walking through the hotel on April 24 and visiting several areas, including the gym, where he is seen speaking to a woman at the front desk. Later footage appears to show him running toward a security checkpoint, rushing past agents who immediately draw their firearms. A muzzle flash from a U.S. Secret Service agent is visible as Allen runs by, and a K-9 unit in the area appears to react moments before he sprints out.
Legal Status and Charges
Federal prosecutors say the video supports their account of events. Allen, of Torrance, California, remains in federal custody after his defense team agreed not to contest detention at this stage. He faces federal charges including attempted assassination of the president, transporting a firearm across state lines and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Allen is scheduled to return for a preliminary hearing on May 11.
Injuries, Evidence and Official Statements
U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran said a Secret Service agent was shot in the chest while wearing a ballistic vest and is expected to recover. Curran told reporters the agent returned fire during the confrontation. An initial criminal complaint alleged the agent had been shot; a subsequent Justice Department filing did not repeat that specific allegation. The Justice Department also published photographs of weapons and ammunition it says were linked to Allen.
Note: Court proceedings are ongoing and the allegations against Allen have not been proven at trial.
The footage had been expected to be shown at a detention hearing to support prosecutors' claims that Allen posed a danger to the community, but the defense agreed to detention before that evidence was presented in court.
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