A Train Journey, A Selfie, A Presidential Target: DOJ Unveils Timeline Before Gala Shooting

Three weeks before the White House Correspondents' Dinner, Cole Allen began his online research about the event, setting the stage for a violent act that prosecutors now describe as premeditated and politically motivated. This information surfaced in a memorandum filed in federal court, detailing Allen's movements leading up to the shooting.

On the night of April 25, Allen's actions were meticulously planned. He took a selfie in his hotel room, weapons visible, just moments before the attack. "The defendant's actions were premeditated, violent, and calculated to cause death," prosecutors stated, emphasizing the anti-democratic nature of his intentions.

Charged with multiple offenses, including attempted assassination of the president, Allen's legal team has yet to comment on the allegations. The timeline reveals that on March 2, President Trump announced his attendance at the dinner via Truth Social, marking his first appearance at the event as president.

Fast forward to April 6, Allen was in California when he searched for information about the dinner and subsequently booked a room at the Washington Hilton for April 24-26. His preparations escalated as he continued to gather details about the event and its attendees.

On April 16, he accessed articles discussing the dinner and its host, CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang. Following this, he purchased a one-way Amtrak ticket from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., with a stop in Chicago. On April 21, he arranged transportation to Los Angeles Union Station to board the train.

During his journey, Allen documented his thoughts and observations in notes that included descriptions of landscapes and reflections on his trip. He also used this time to research the dinner further, reading articles about Trump's anticipated confrontational appearance.

After changing trains in Chicago on April 23, he continued his research on the event. Upon arriving in D.C. on April 24 at 1:10 p.m., he checked into the Washington Hilton around 3:15 p.m., setting the stage for what would unfold the following day.

On the day of the gala, Allen was seen moving in and out of his hotel room. At approximately 6:26 p.m., he accessed the president's schedule using a civic tracker website. Just minutes after the event commenced at 8:00 p.m., he took a photo of himself dressed in black with a red tie, armed and ready.

The photo included in the memorandum shows Allen with various weapons laid out in his hotel room. Prosecutors noted that these items matched those recovered later by law enforcement. Ten minutes after taking the selfie, he rechecked the presidential schedule before leaving his room.

As the event unfolded, Allen was seen searching for live video feeds of the dinner until moments before he rushed through security with a shotgun raised. At approximately 8:27 p.m., he accessed a live video showing President Trump arriving at the venue.

Shortly thereafter, Allen sent emails to family members detailing his intentions to target Trump administration officials. Following this alarming communication, he charged toward a screening checkpoint at the Washington Hilton.

A U.S. Secret Service officer witnessed Allen fire his shotgun towards the ballroom stairs. The memorandum provides a detailed account of these events but leaves questions regarding how he managed to bypass security before shots were fired.

In response to Allen's actions, law enforcement fired five rounds, none of which struck him. Surveillance footage captured an officer aiming at Allen as chaos erupted. It remains uncertain whether any bullets from Allen's shotgun were recovered from the scene.

Prosecutors are pursuing pretrial detention for Allen, who faces charges that could lead to life imprisonment if convicted. They assert that had he succeeded in his plan, it would have marked a dark chapter in American history. Armed with multiple weapons and ammunition capable of inflicting mass casualties, Allen was apprehended just feet away from where his primary target was located.