The 31-year-old suspect who attempted to enter the White House Correspondents’ Dinner to get to Donald Trump on Saturday shot a Secret Service agent while trying to breach security. Now, a shocking claim suggests that it might not have been the suspect who shot the Secret Service officer – but another officer.
On Monday, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen was formally charged with attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump. Prosecutors also charged him with transporting a firearm or ammunition across state lines, as well as discharging a firearm during a violent crime.
The allegations were presented during Allen’s arraignment in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. He tried to rush through security at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday, but was tackled and arrested before he could reach the room where the dinner was held.
Sources close to the investigation previously told ABC News that early evidence suggests that Allen’s plan was to target as many people as possible in a mass shooting.
During Allen’s first court appearance, officials revealed that the wounded agent fired five shots as he attempted to stop the suspect from entering the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Allen wasn’t struck by any of the bullets.
Secret Service agent who was shot by gunman may have been hit by ‘friendly fire’: report
The agent himself was hit in the chest and survived thanks to the ballistic vest he was wearing.
“This heroic officer who was hit fired five times at Allen, who was not shot but fell to the ground and was promptly arrested,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said. “The defendant fired out of his shotgun – we know that happened. But as far as getting into exacting ballistics, I’m not going to do that today,” Blanche told reporters.
Now, a shocking claim suggests the Secret Surface agent might have been caught in the crossfire. Sky News reported Tuesday that he may have been shot by another agent in friendly fire.
The disturbing claim of possible friendly fire sparked speculation online, not least after footage from the scene appeared to show several Secret Service agents aiming their weapons at Allen from different directions. Backing Blanche’s statement, a new federal review suggests friendly fire was not the case.
According to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation, witness statements and agent accounts are consistent with the suspected gunman being the one who shot the Secret Service officer, USA Today reported.
Secret Service rules out friendly fire as officers’ guns are checked
Moreover, investigators say the injured agent was the only Secret Service officer who fired his gun. Weapons belonging to the other agents at the scene have been checked, and it was established that they hadn’t been used.
The unnamed source added that Secret Service officials have largely ruled out friendly fire as the cause of the agent’s injuries, although an FBI ballistics and forensic investigation is still ongoing.
“We want to get that right, so we’re still looking at that,” Blanche said on Monday when asked whose bullet struck the agent, continuing by describing the terrifying moment Allen allegedly breached security.
“Allen ran through the magnetometer, holding a long gun. As he did so, U.S. Secret Service personnel assigned to the checkpoint heard a loud gunshot. One Secret Service officer was shot in the chest, but was wearing a ballistic vest that worked,” Blanche said.
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