White House press dinner shooting suspect to face criminal charges

The suspected gunman who tried to storm the White House correspondents’ dinner was expected to appear in federal court to face criminal charges on Monday. The alleged shooter, identified by law enforcement agencies as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from Torrance in southern California, faces charges including assault of a federal officer, discharging a firearm and attempting to kill a federal officer. Allen, who hasn’t been officially confirmed as the alleged gunman by US officials, has no record of criminal charges or a civil court history in Los Angeles county, according to a records search. The suspect could also be charged with trying to assassinate the US president, the acting US attorney general, Todd Blanche, told CNN on Sunday. Earlier in the day Blanche had said that the alleged gunman who had charged towards the ballroom where the black-tie event was being held on Saturday night but was stopped, was believed to have been targeting top officials of the Trump administration who were at the dinner, “likely including the president”. He was also “not actively cooperating” with the authorities, Blanche added. Investigators have yet to establish a motive. They believe that the suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives when he was arrested, and that he acted alone. Police have been searching an address in Torrance linked to Allen, and writings reportedly found in his hotel room are also being examined as part of the investigation. …