WHCD Gunman Cole Tomas Allen Took Chilling Selfie With Ammo Strapped to Body in Hotel Room Moments Before Attempting to Assassinate Trump
Cole Tomas Allen allegedly snapped a chilling mirror selfie moments before the attack.
April 29 2026, Published 11:51 a.m. ET
A chilling new image has surfaced of alleged White House Correspondents’ Dinner gunman Cole Allen, revealing the moments before prosecutors say he launched a brazen attack, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The California man is accused of opening fire outside the high-profile Washington, D.C. event, and a newly released selfie appears to show him dressed in black with ammunition strapped to his body just minutes before the chaos unfolded.
Pre-Attack Selfie Revealed in Court Filing
The suspect appeared dressed in black with what prosecutors say was ammunition strapped to his body.
The newly released photo was included in a court filing opposing bail for Allen, who allegedly targeted the annual gathering of journalists and government officials.
According to prosecutors, Allen snapped the mirror selfie at around 8:03 p.m. Saturday, wearing a black dress shirt, black slacks, and what appeared to be a red necktie tucked into his pants, per NBC News.
The image also allegedly shows him carrying a small leather bag believed to be filled with ammunition, along with a shoulder holster, a sheathed knife, pliers, and wire cutters.
'Darkest Days in American History'
Court filings claim the image shows Allen carrying weapons and tools before approaching the event.
Allen has been charged with attempted assassination of the president, interstate transportation of a firearm and ammunition with intent to commit a felony, and discharging a firearm during a violent crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Jones did not mince words, warning: "Had the defendant achieved his intended outcome, he would have brought about one of the darkest days in American history."
He added the evidence against Allen is "overwhelming."
Gunfire Erupts at Security Checkpoint
Prosecutors say the photo was taken just minutes before gunfire erupted near the WHCD venue.
Minutes after taking the photo, Allen allegedly rushed a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton with a raised shotgun. A Secret Service agent responded immediately, firing five shots.
After injuring one Secret Service agent, Allen was subdued and arrested after falling to the ground. He suffered a minor knee injury but was not struck by gunfire, according to prosecutors.
Authorities say weapons recovered included the shotgun, knives, and a loaded .38-caliber pistol, according to the outlet.
Prosecutors described the incident as a calculated and deeply dangerous attack targeting an event attended by journalists, officials, and the president.
"This was a planned attack of unfathomable malice that risked the lives of hundreds of people," Jones wrote, calling it "an anti-democratic act of political violence."
Eerie Cross-Country Journey Before Attack
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Authorities allege Allen rushed a security checkpoint shortly after taking the now-released selfie.
Before arriving in Washington, Allen traveled cross-country by Amtrak from Los Angeles to Chicago and then on to the nation's capital.
During the trip, he reportedly kept a running note on his phone documenting his thoughts, many of which painted a starkly different picture from the violence he allegedly planned.
He described the "southwest desert in spring" with "distant wind turbines looming like snowy mountains," called Chicago "cool," and wrote that Pennsylvania's woods looked like "vast fairy lands filled with tiny trickling creeks."
