Industry Odisha Bureau, April 28: California resident Cole Tomas Allen, the nabbed gunman, who has been accused of committing the crime of indiscriminately firing gunshots during the high-profile White House Correspondent’s Dinner on April 25, had reportedly made a thorough homework for weeks before executing his modus operandi.
As per the Federal affidavit, Allen had been tracking incumbent US President Donald Trump’s “planned appearance” for which he had “secured accommodation at the same venue”.
The significant court document has reportedly mentioned that the suspect had “made a reservation at the Washington Hilton on April 6 for a three-night stay from April 24 to April 26” weeks before Trump announced his confirmation for gracing the White House Correspondent’s Dinner .
The court document has reportedly revealed that arrested gunman Allen “arrived US capital Washington DC at 1 pm (US local time) on April 24 after reaching Chicago the previous day (April 23) by train from his home near Los Angeles. The train journey to his destination he had reportedly set off on April 21”.
He then “checked into the Washington Hilton Hotel (the venue for White House Correspondent’s Dinner) at around 3 pm (US local time) on April 24 and stayed overnight”.
As Allen was reportedly well aware that the high-profile event would start around 8 pm on April 25 in the Washington Hilton Hotel’s ballroom, he reportedly “approached a security checkpoint around 8.40 pm, ran through a magnetometer brandishing a big gun, moments later a gunshot was heard prompting swift response by the Secret Service agency”.
Before Allen was swiftly subdued and nabbed, his initial gunshot had reportedly struck a Secret Service officer in the chest, but the gunshot-victim brave officer had reportedly returned fire at Allen since the targeted officer had luckily put on a bullet-proof vest.
Allen had purchased his firearms from California and was able to transport them to Washington for which Federal charges have been slapped against him and further probe is on.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told media that the law enforcement agency is gathering additional evidence, reviewing the nabbed suspect’s hotel room, electronic devices, travel history, etc.
