U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said the government now has evidence suspected gunman Cole Allen shot a federal agent during an alleged attempt to assassinate President Donald Trump at last weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner.
“We now can establish that a pellet that came from the buckshot from the defendant’s Mossberg pump-action shotgun was intertwined with the fiber of the vest of the Secret Service officer,” Pirro said during an appearance on CNN‘s State of the Union on Sunday.
Why It Matters
Until now, it had been unclear whether investigators would be able to produce direct forensic evidence linking the suspect’s weapon to an injury during the chaotic exchange of gunfire.
Early accounts focused on intent and the rapid intervention by security, with officials noting the Secret Service officer was protected by a ballistic vest and no serious injuries were immediately reported. Determining whether a round physically struck an officer—and conclusively tying that projectile to a specific weapon—can take time, making Pirro’s disclosure of ballistic evidence a significant development in the case.
What to Know
Pirro’s comments come as Allen faces federal charges connected to the shooting, including attempted assassination of the president and assault on a federal officer. Authorities allege Allen rushed a security checkpoint outside the dinner at the Washington Hilton armed with a shotgun, prompting an exchange of gunfire with Secret Service personnel tasked with protecting Trump and other attendees. The president was not injured.
“It is definitively his bullet he hit at that Secret Service agent,” Pirro told host Jake Tapper on Sunday about Allen. “He had every intention to kill him, and anyone who got in his way, on his way to killing the president of the United States. This was a premeditated, violent act, calculated to take down the president, and anyone who was in the line of fire.”
Sunday’s disclosure by Pirro strengthens the government’s narrative Allen fired directly at law enforcement during the incident, a key element in supporting the most serious charges filed in the case. Allen has not entered a plea, and his attorneys have previously questioned aspects of the government’s evidence. The investigation remains ongoing as the case moves through federal court.
On Thursday, Pirro, while releasing footage of the incident, downplayed suggestions friendly fire hit the Secret Service agent, writing on X:
“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 fire. The video also shows Allen casing the area in the Hilton Hotel the day before the attack. My office along with the @FBI will continue this extensive investigation to bring Cole Allen to justice.”
Footage shows Allen sprinting through a security checkpoint, which had a metal detector, and past security guards. The dinner was being held one floor below in the ballroom, from where Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Cabinet members were safely evacuated.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran described the shooting of the Secret Service agent on Fox News’ The Will Cain Show on Thursday, saying, “All the evidence that I’ve seen, the suspect shot our officer point-blank range with a shotgun. Our officer heroically returned fire while being shot.”
What Happens Next
Allen is scheduled to appear in federal court again in the coming weeks as the case proceeds through pretrial hearings. Investigators have said the probe remains ongoing, and court proceedings could determine whether additional charges are filed as more forensic and ballistic analysis is completed.
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