Nearly a week after a suspect allegedly attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump at a press gala, key details about the shooting remain unclear, as prosecutors' statements have shifted regarding whether a Secret Service officer was struck by gunfire.
The incident occurred at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. Trump and other officials initially stated that a Secret Service officer was shot while confronting the attacker at a security checkpoint, crediting a bulletproof vest for saving the officer's life. However, court documents filed by government attorneys do not explicitly allege that the suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, fired the shot that hit the officer.
The Secret Service officer involved fired five times at Allen but missed, according to authorities. Allen, who is in custody, was armed with a semiautomatic handgun, a pump-action shotgun, and three knives. He faces charges including discharging a firearm.
Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche initially told CBS News that the suspect shot the officer, but later retreated from that claim, stating on Monday, "We want to get that right, so we're still looking at that." The criminal complaint against Allen notes that Officer V.G. was shot once in the chest while wearing a ballistic vest, but it does not directly accuse Allen of firing the shot. Legal expert Mark Lesko noted that the government's cautious language suggests a lack of conclusive proof. Furthermore, prosecutors have not charged Allen with assaulting a Secret Service officer, though additional charges may be filed.
Defense attorneys have highlighted the omission, arguing in a filing that the government "has apparently retreated from the theory" after mentioning the officer in the initial complaint. Meanwhile, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro released security footage showing Allen running through a checkpoint and an officer firing, but the video does not clearly depict Allen discharging his weapon. Secret Service Director Sean Curran maintains that evidence shows the suspect shot the officer at point-blank range with a shotgun.
Ballistics analysis could take weeks or months to complete. Legal experts suggest that even if the shooting's origin remains murky, prosecutors may still secure a conviction on other charges, potentially leading to a lengthy prison sentence.