SouthernWorldwide.com – Cole Allen, the suspect accused of shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, has reportedly been removed from suicide watch at the Washington, D.C. jail where he is being held, according to new court documents filed by his legal team.
Allen’s lawyers had sought to cancel a hearing scheduled for Monday, which was intended to address his status on suicide watch. However, Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui denied this request, expressing significant concerns about Allen’s placement in solitary confinement and demanding further clarification.
In a previous motion advocating for Allen’s removal from suicide watch, his lawyers argued that the restrictive measures constituted a violation of his rights under the Due Process Clause.
Allen was reportedly kept in a highly restrictive cell, placed in medical isolation, and subjected to 24-hour supervision, as a law enforcement source had previously informed CBS News. Standard procedure typically involves placing individuals on suicide watch for the initial 72 hours following their assessment.
The motion further detailed that Allen was unable to communicate with loved ones outside the jail, was prevented from keeping personal belongings, and had difficulties reviewing his case documents. His lawyers also stated that he required an escort for showering and underwent strip searches each time he entered or exited his cell.
Allen, who is 31 years old, has agreed to remain in detention until his trial. It remains unclear whether he has been transferred to a different facility since being taken off suicide watch.
Allen faces charges for allegedly attempting to assassinate President Trump at the annual press gala held on Saturday, April 25. Additionally, he is charged with two firearms-related offenses stemming from the same incident. He made his initial appearance in federal court on Monday.
The suspect has not yet entered a plea to the charges. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for May 11.
Reports indicate that Allen allegedly approached a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton, the venue for the press dinner. President Trump and other administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson, were in attendance. Allen was apprehended at the scene.
A source close to the investigation revealed to CBS News that a total of six shots were fired. One shot was fired by Allen, and five were fired by a Secret Service officer. The officer sustained a hit to his bulletproof vest but was not seriously injured. Two sources familiar with the investigation suggested that the shot likely struck a cellphone that was tucked inside the agent’s pocket.
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Federal officials have contested reports that the shot that hit the agent was a result of friendly fire. Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, stated on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that investigators had definitively determined that the bullet was fired by Allen.
