3 min readNew DelhiMay 1, 2026 12:09 PM IST
Federal prosecutors released a new surveillance footage on Thursday showing the moment before the shooting incident and the man entering with guns and knives. The video was posted on X by the top US federal prosecutor Jeanine Pirro.
In the 6-minute video clip at the security checkpoint, roughly a dozen federal officers dismantling magnetometers and standing nearby when the suspect Cole Tomas Allen, suddenly bursts through a doorway and sprints toward them. The gunman closes the distance in seconds, catching most of the officers off guard. Only one officer can be seen in the footage appears to draw his weapon before the suspect rushes past him. According to Pirro, the officer was struck by a bullet but managed to return fire.
Today, we are releasing video already provided to U.S. District Court showing Cole Allen shoot a U.S. Secret Service officer during his attempt to assassinate the President at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
There is no evidence the shooting was the result of friendly… pic.twitter.com/a8gRXkW6BH
— US Attorney Pirro (@USAttyPirro) April 30, 2026
The newly released footage also shows Allen pacing hotel corridors the day before the attack and briefly entering the gym. In court papers pressing for Allen’s continued detention, prosecutors say he took a selfie in his hotel room minutes before the incident while wearing tactical gear, including an ammunition bag, shoulder holster and a sheathed knife.
According to authorities, Allen pointed a long gun at an agent, prompting the officer to fire five rounds. While an agent was struck in the bulletproof vest during the chaos, Pirro said Thursday there is no evidence the injury was caused by friendly fire. It remains unclear from the footage exactly when Allen’s weapon discharged.
Allen was wounded during the confrontation but was not shot. The attack sent shockwaves through one of Washington’s most high-profile annual gatherings, attended by journalists, administration officials, Vice-President JD Vance and President Donald Trump himself.
The alleged gunman has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from California. (Photo: @realDonaldTrump)
Secret Service Director Sean Curran, in a Fox News interview defended the agency’s response saying the suspect was stopped within seconds at the outermost layer of security.
“The distance from the magnetometers to the podium where Trump was seated was 355 feet, with two sets of stairs, a doorway and many more armed Secret Service officers in between…The site was set up perfectly,” Curran said.
In court filings, prosecutors cited messages in which Allen allegedly described himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin” and referenced grievances with various Trump administration policies.
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Allen was a part-time tutor and amateur video game developer from Torrance, California, appeared in federal court on Thursday and agreed to remain in custody pending trial. He faces charges including attempted assassination of the president, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and additional weapons offenses.
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