Chilling Video Shows Suspect Cole Tomas Allen Plotting WHCD Gun Attack 

Federal prosecutors have released several chilling videos of Cole Tomas Allen, the 31-year-old California man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

Surveillance video from April 24 shows Allen casing a hallway and visiting the gym at the Washington Hilton the day before the attack.

Security camera footage from the night of the gala on April 25 captures Allen storming through a security checkpoint with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun in his hands.

Footage shows Allen pointing his weapon and shooting a U.S. Secret Service officer at close range. The officer survived because his bullet-resistant vest stopped the bullet.

Former Fox News host and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro shared the footage on X, as well as the footage of Allen appearing to shoot at a Secret Service officer.

“Today, we are releasing video already provided to the 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,” she wrote.

“There is no evidence the shooting was the result of friendly fire,” she continued, referring to reports that the agent was shot by one of his own.

“The video also shows Allen casing the area in the Hilton Hotel the day before the attack,” Pirro added. “My office, along with the @FBI, will continue this extensive investigation to bring Cole Allen to justice.”

Prosecutors also released a selfie Allen took in his hotel room mirror approximately 30 minutes before the attack, which shows him fully armed with a shoulder holster, a knife sheath, and an ammunition bag.

According to the Department of Justice, Allen also sent a pre-scheduled manifesto to family members roughly 10 minutes before the shooting.

Investigators believe he was motivated by a self-perceived "righteous duty" to stop what he described as the "systemic demonization" and harmful policies of the Trump administration.

According to the 1,000-word manifesto, Allen justified his actions through a unique interpretation of his Christian faith.

Although described by peers as a "devout Christian," Allen’s note included a "rebuttal" to the idea of turning the other cheek. He argued that while one should turn the other cheek for personal oppression, doing so when others are oppressed is "complicity in the oppressor's crimes."

In the email, he referred to himself as the "Friendly Federal Assassin" and stated that administration officials were his primary targets.

Allen stated he was "no longer willing to permit a p--------, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes" and felt a duty to protect those he believed were harmed by the administration's actions.

“Well, to be completely honest, I was no longer willing a long time ago, but this is the first real opportunity I’ve had to do something about it,” he wrote.

He also pointed out the lack of security at the hotel.

“What the h--- is the Secret Service doing?” he wrote. “Like, I expected security cameras at every bend, bugged hotel rooms, armed agents every 10 feet, metal detectors out the wazoo.”

“What I got (who knows, maybe they’re pranking me!) is nothing,” he said. “No d--- security. Not in transport. Not in the hotel. Not in the event. I walk in with multiple weapons and not a single person there considers the possibility that I could be a threat.”

Allen’s sister told law enforcement that he had been making increasingly "radical" statements and had spoken about wanting to take action regarding the state of the world.

Allen explicitly stated he intended to target administration officials, prioritizing them from "highest-ranking to lowest." He notably excluded FBI Director Kash Patel from his target list.

He is currently facing federal charges, including attempted assassination of the president, and is being held without bail.