WHCA dinner shooting suspect won’t fight detention, attorney says

WASHINGTON – Cole Tomas Allen, the man accused of opening fire at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, agreed to remain in custody during a federal court hearing Thursday, according to FOX News.

What we know:

The attorney for Allen, 31, told the judge that Allen’s defense team had difficulty meeting with him ahead of the proceeding.

By conceding detention, Allen is not challenging the Justice Department’s request to keep him held as the case moves forward.

Allen, 31, was arrested Saturday night at the Washington, D.C., event attended by President Donald Trump and senior members of his administration. Trump was not hurt and was rushed offstage by his security detail.

READ MORE: Photo shows Cole Allen in hotel room before attack as DOJ moves to keep him jailed: investigators

Allen faces charges that include using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer, along with other potential counts.

New details emerged Wednesday in a court filing from prosecutors seeking to keep Allen in custody. They said Allen repeatedly checked online updates to monitor Trump’s movements that night, including live coverage of the president arriving at the Hilton.

Investigators say Allen took a photo of himself in his hotel room minutes before the attack, showing him wearing an ammunition bag, a shoulder holster and a knife. They also said preset emails containing an “Apology and Explanation” attachment were sent around 8:30 p.m.

An FBI affidavit filed Monday outlined additional planning behind the attack. Investigators say Allen reserved a room at the Washington Hilton on April 6, weeks before the dinner and its heightened security. He then traveled cross‑country by train from California last week and checked into the hotel one day before the event, with the room booked through the weekend.