Trump dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen appears in court, charged with attempted assassination

The suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner appeared in court Monday afternoon to face charges of attempting to assassinate the president

The suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner appeared in court Monday afternoon to face charges of attempting to assassinate the president.

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Cole Tomas Allen, 31, a teacher and engineer from California, is accused of opening fire outside the packed ballroom at the Washington Hilton, where President Donald Trump and other White House officials gathered with journalists for the dinner. He appeared in court on Monday in a blue jumpsuit, flanked by U.S. Marshals.

Allen made his initial appearance in front of federal magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh in Washington and was charged with three criminal counts. He answered rudimentary questions from the judge — his full name, age, level of education, an understanding of his rights — in a soft voice. As he walked in, Allen scanned the public gallery, where 40 to 50 members of the press and public sat to observe the proceedings.