Correspondents' dinner shooting suspect appears in court — NBC News

[0:00] him as he ran through a security checkpoint. His intended targets allegedly the president and top [0:05] cabinet officials. We expect to learn what the charges Alan will face shortly. Cameras are not [0:10] allowed inside the courtroom, but our reporters inside will be sending us notes in real time [0:15] that I will bring to you and our team will bring to you as soon as the hearing gets underway. So [0:19] far, we know that Alan has been walked in to that courtroom right now. He is sitting, he is wearing [0:24] a blue jumpsuit, and he is flanked by two U.S. Marshals that are on each side of him. We understand [0:29] that the matter is now unsealed. That, according to the judge, was just announced that in court, [0:34] and the pretrial services are about to begin right now. Kelly O'Donnell joins our coverage now. Kelly, [0:39] a quick question to you, because the night, Saturday night after this happened, there were [0:43] some announcements of two initial charges. Do we expect to hear those formally today, or will there [0:48] be additional charges as well, do we expect? Well, in the appearance today, when they say the matter [0:53] is unsealed, they are now unsealing the charges against this 31-year-old California man. So this [0:59] will be the first time we get a sense of those charges. Saturday night, there were some preliminary [1:04] expected weapons-related charges. We think a lot of work has been done in the hours since then, [1:09] going through the evidence, both at the hotel where this event occurred, in his hotel room. He, of course, [1:16] checked into the Washington Hilton Hotel in advance of the White House correspondence dinner as a part [1:21] of the alleged planning of this suspect. Also, he traveled from California on a train, [1:27] a multi-day trip to get to Washington. We know, based on the weapons that were recovered, [1:33] those were purchased legally. But as they explore his electronic footprint, they conducted searches [1:39] at his California home and at the hotel. They've been piecing together evidence. And included were [1:45] some writings he sent to his family that we have been able to review. They were provided to us by [1:51] a senior White House official. And that describes some of his intention and thought. And that's why [1:57] the White House has so comfortably labeled this an assassination attempt. We'll have to see if the [2:02] charges bear that out in the specific details. Clearly, the man was armed, was moving toward the [2:09] ballroom where the president and many other dignitaries were attending the dinner. 2,600 guests [2:14] in a very crowded ballroom. Many members of the cabinet, dignitaries, ambassadors from the U.S. [2:20] and other countries were there. It was a high-profile event, which in and of itself could have been a [2:26] target. But we understand from what authorities tell us was included in this writing to his family [2:32] that he had intention talking about members of the Trump administration. He did not name President [2:38] Trump, but some of what he wrote seemed to indicate he was alluding to President Trump and others who [2:45] were serving in the administration. We will know much more when these documents are available to us. [2:51] They have not been available yet. We would expect to see a FBI affidavit where an FBI agent swears to [2:59] some of the initial evidence that's been brought before the court that helps to support whatever charges [3:04] come. These will certainly be felonies. They are at the federal level. But this magistrate [3:09] appearance today is the most beginning of these kinds of events. He may not enter any kind of a [3:14] plea. This is simply telling him what the charges are against him. He is at this point supplied by [3:21] counsel, federal defense counsel that is provided to him, public defender. And so it's an early step. [3:27] But when we get those charging documents, the specifics of the complaint will have more information. [3:33] This may ultimately go to a grand jury where still more will come out. But this is a critical first step [3:39] in what could be a longtime prosecution. In many of these potentially violent or terroristic type attacks, [3:47] the suspect is in many instances is shot and killed or somehow loses his or her life in it. [3:55] This is a more unusual case where the suspect was not injured. He was subdued at the hotel and now he has rights [4:01] and a process that begins. I'm being told three counts. Three counts. OK, let's look at those counts [4:07] to get the specifics here. Yeah. The attempt to assassinate the president, three counts on that, Kelly. [4:13] The judge, when you were reporting, said there were several charges here. So this this is going to be a [4:17] little bit till we get everything in. Our team, again, is reporting from inside the courtroom back to me and Kelly. [4:23] The cameras aren't allowed there. So far, all we know, he's been here. Here comes here comes more. [4:28] An attempt to assassinate the president of the United States. It looks like three counts of that, Kelly, as we know [4:34] that, of course, you know, if he is convicted, that up to life in prison, if you were to be found guilty. [4:40] We're going to wait some more of this. We also learned he's 31 years old. He's a grad. [4:43] He has a graduate degree, a master's degree, I should say. He pronounces his name Cole Tomas Allen. [4:48] And as you said, he has asked the court to appoint him an attorney. He's an educated suspect. [4:54] Yeah, he is. And so transportation of a firearm and ammunition through the interstate commerce [5:00] with intent to commit a felony. You were talking about that train trip. We know that he took a [5:04] train from California all the way to Washington, Kelly. That's correct. And that would account for [5:09] taking firearms across state lines, lawfully purchased firearms, but taking them across state lines [5:15] with an intent to commit a crime. That's its own kind of felony. So that explains that. [5:21] The three counts of attempted assassination. I'll be curious to see if that ties with discharging his [5:28] weapon. If he fired his weapon multiple times. That's count three. It just came in. It just came [5:33] in. That's count three. Yeah. So you're right about that. That one just came in. He has been fully [5:37] briefed on these charges and he says that he is aware of the charges against him. And that will be a [5:45] part of determining that he is capable of being in this process. We have seen in some instances [5:51] where the mental acuity of a defendant is at issue. He is saying he understands his rights. He [5:56] understands the charges against him. That's an important part of the process. At this point, [6:02] these are very serious charges, of course. And it is against the backdrop of growing political [6:08] violence in the country, Tom, something that President Trump has personally experienced with [6:13] multiple attempts on his life. And many other figures across the political spectrum have had [6:19] criminal acts against them for being in the political space. This is certainly a very notable [6:24] case, one that stands out as we're learning more about the specifics here. And as you mentioned [6:29] something earlier, it sparked a reminder here. Initially, when this hearing started, the judge had [6:34] asked him if he had taken any drugs, any medication or any alcohol in the last 24 hours. He said he had not. [6:40] And that is, you know, part of the procedure here to make sure he understands the charges against him, [6:45] Kelly. And we know from investigators that they spoke to his brother and to his sister in [6:51] authorities having interviews with investigators. The brother, when he received that emailed message [6:56] to the family, did alert police in New London, Connecticut. And there was a connection from that [7:02] local police department forwarding that information sort of across to federal partners and ultimately [7:09] getting to the command center here in Washington that was dealing with the event at the Washington [7:15] Hilton Hotel. So the family cooperated in that way. Authorities also tell me that the sister spoke about [7:21] escalating rhetoric from her brother and that the family was concerned about the way he talked about [7:27] world events, a variety of world events and national political events. We know from what others describe, [7:34] he was engaged in a lot of that, had concerns about what was happening. And according to the document [7:40] that we reviewed, had a sense that he needed to be the one to take action. More of that will play out. [7:47] We'll have to learn more about the specifics, any mitigating facts that may come forward. [7:51] Kelly, we're now learning exactly what he was holding. According to the assistant US attorney, [7:55] who's reading this now to the judge, a 12 gauge pump action shotgun, a 38 caliber semi-automatic pistol, [8:03] three knives and quote other dangerous paraphernalia. The assistant US attorney now asking the judge [8:09] and requesting that there be no chance at bond for this suspect as it speaks because of the severity [8:15] of the crimes and speaking to that this was premeditated. It was planned before he got on that train [8:22] from California to Washington, DC, and that his intended target was to assassinate the president [8:26] of the United States. And that will be a case they will have to outline with specific information as [8:33] they learn more from his writings, his social media profile, interviews they conduct with family [8:39] members, those who know him, some of the facts on the scene. There's ballistic evidence that is being [8:44] processed. There were bullet holes in a wall at the hotel. And a reminder to our audience, this suspect [8:51] did not get to the ballroom level where those 2,600 guests were assembled, including the president, [8:57] vice president, first lady and many dignitaries. He was on a floor above that in a public space that [9:03] had been used as part of the general reception for all of those guests. And there were layers of [9:09] barricades and metal detectors and those kinds of steps. He was seen on video running through one of [9:16] those metal detectors after the event had begun and all other guests were assembled inside. He was subdued [9:22] by a variety of officers there. There was a discharge of weapons. I'm told he fired his weapon [9:28] and that there was return fire from law enforcement. And that is when the uniform division secret service [9:33] officer was struck in the vest by some projectile. And he thankfully was not injured. He certainly took [9:41] the full force of that, but he was only briefly at the hospital and then released. So no injuries here. [9:47] The suspect was not injured. The president was safe as well. [9:50] And Kelly, I understand now from the notes that we're getting in court, there's going to be a [9:53] detention hearing now at 11 a.m. this Thursday. Uh, his public defender has said that, that Mr. Allen [10:00] has no prior arrests or convictions. And of course he would say this as his attorney, he is presumed [10:05] innocent at the time. It sounds like they will have this detention hearing on Thursday, as long [10:10] as the judge signs off on it. So it sounds at least in this case, things are moving pretty, [10:14] pretty quickly in this case. Exactly. And that's what we expected. This type of hearing, [10:19] this first appearance is very brief, uh, no entrance of plea. The discussion of detention [10:24] would come next. There would be a discussion. Is there bail? Is there not bail? The government [10:29] will present its request for no bail opportunity. His defense counsel will have a chance to respond. [10:36] He will now be in the custody of the U S marshals. Prior to this, he'd been held by Washington [10:41] metropolitan police prior to being charged as a federal defendant. They were able to hold him for a [10:47] period of time, simply on the suspicion of what happens Saturday night. Uh, there will be many [10:51] steps to come and so much more to learn, Tom. I want to bring in Tom Winter now covers law enforcement [10:56] for us, Tom. There, there is so much evidence, uh, at least from what federal investigators and secret [11:03] service and our own reporting show against this man right now. Talk to us about some of the key pieces [11:09] we have. There, there's been talk of this manifesto. There is the surveillance video of him sprinting [11:13] across, uh, that initial security checkpoint. And then him, of course, on the ground in handcuffs [11:18] there at the scene with weapons, uh, allegedly on him. You know, that's right, Tom. And that [11:22] evidence is pretty strong as it's been shared with us so far as three counts total here. So the, [11:27] the key one is the attempt to assassinate the president of the United States that does carry [11:31] a life sentence. If he's convicted to that up to, up to a life sentence, there's also count three [11:36] there, that discharge of a firearm. That's a mandatory minimum. If he's convicted of that, [11:40] what they seem to have extrapolated is some intent, uh, from that note that we've been reporting on, [11:45] that's very clear, as you mentioned, a manifesto detailing the exact reasons why he was there. [11:51] There's little room for interpretation. He specifically references the Trump administration [11:55] and his whole game plan for how he was going to, uh, carry this out and his reasons for doing so. [12:00] You've got this video that you're looking at right now, which we're going to start to, uh, see be played [12:05] out shortly, where he will come running in from the left, going past the checkpoint. Here he is [12:10] coming right now. You can see him dressed in all dark clothing, presumably holding a rifle there, [12:14] just the way that he looks. That was as they were kind of breaking down the magnetometer and the, [12:18] and the checkpoint. Here he is lying on the ground shortly thereafter, after he's taken into custody [12:23] and stripped to make sure he's got no other explosive devices on him. Uh, he is going to be held until [12:28] that hearing. And one of the things that we'll get, Tom, in the coming couple of days and presumably [12:32] a lot of detail in today's complaint, once that is publicly filed to the docket, we will know more [12:37] about that. But they will also file a detention memo from federal prosecutors where they can [12:42] lay out some additional evidence that goes just beyond, uh, the basic requirements to bring these [12:48] charges against him. And sometimes we can get a lot more information, uh, out of those filings. Uh, [12:53] I will note in, in some folks might point out that there's a preliminary hearing scheduled, uh, for [12:58] May 11th. That will almost assuredly not happen. He will likely be indicted by a federal grand jury [13:03] well before that date, but because he's being arrested on what we call a complaint, they have to enter [13:08] that date, uh, for there to be a hearing to see whether or not the evidence, uh, weigh the evidence [13:12] rather, uh, on this complaint. But the most serious charge is the first one, the attempted assassination [13:17] of the president of the United States. This is now officially the third attempted assassination [13:22] against the president, Donald J. Trump. Two attempts, of course, while he was a candidate [13:25] for office. A third one now that he is in office that apparently occurred or allegedly occurred, [13:30] according to the Justice Department on Saturday night. Those two previous ones, uh, one in Butler, [13:34] Pennsylvania, uh, Thomas Matthew Crooks, and then a second one, uh, near his golf course in Florida, [13:40] uh, with Ryan Routh, who was, uh, convicted several months ago, uh, as a result of, uh, his federal [13:46] trial there. Crooks, of course, was killed by a U.S. Secret Service, uh, sniper, counter-sniper that was up on [13:51] the roof, uh, at that incident. Unlike that first incident involving Crooks in Butler, Pennsylvania, [13:56] we now have, Tom, to your, uh, point earlier, uh, just a tremendous amount of evidence, [14:01] because we have a note. With Crooks, we didn't have really any social media profile, [14:05] no writings, nothing really left behind. Uh, Crooks is very clear here, as I mentioned before, [14:10] and also discussed the security at the hotel. We see him there flanked by officers. This image being [14:16] put out by the president, uh, on Saturday evening, uh, after he arrived back at the White House. [14:20] Uh, but this is just a very different case than that, and obviously, uh, they will continue their [14:26] investigation, presumably continue to get surveillance video. Uh, some, according to our [14:30] colleagues, including Kelly O'Donnell, uh, contains him going in through the stairwell to get down there, [14:35] so he's not detected in the elevators. Uh, much more to come, Tom, I'm sure, as we, uh, continue to get [14:40] these charges in. And as we look back on those three assassination attempts, this one marks the [14:44] third one. Tom, there's also that Pakistani man that is on trial, uh, I believe he's still on trial, [14:50] saying that Iran had hired him to kill President Trump and other administration officials as well. [14:55] So there have been both plots and assassination attempts against the president's life. Tom, in that [15:00] manifesto, do we know if it was just, uh, an M.O., if you will, right, his, his modus operandi, [15:06] or was there also a plan of attack in there as well? Did, did he, did he lay out what he wanted [15:11] to do? Because I've seen some reporting out there about, you know, administration officials were the [15:15] targets in, in sort of an order of importance. That's exactly right. I mean, I think he understood [15:21] based if you read, uh, this note that this in his eyes was the, uh, best opportunity because he [15:27] thought he could get closest to the president. Uh, that's what he says in the note. He also talks about [15:32] the fact that he wanted to go after administration officials. I think he knew by the time he would [15:35] get too close to where Trump was, uh, he would have been confronted by law enforcement, but [15:40] certainly was up for any sort of top officials. He, interestingly, we don't know why he says that [15:45] he was not going to go after the FBI director, Kash Patel, uh, but he definitely seemed to go after [15:51] administration officials. And that, you know, big picture here, Tom, you know, you referenced the, [15:55] the, the, the, the charges against that Pakistani individual. Uh, we're not even talking about the [16:01] threats that are investigated by the secret service, the threats that are prosecuted, uh, [16:05] let alone plots. And so now if you have individuals that think, you know what, [16:09] maybe I can't get to Donald Trump, maybe I can get to other members of the Trump administration, [16:14] the headache, not just for the secret service, but for the diplomatic security service that [16:18] covers the state department or, uh, for the military, for the secretary of war, uh, just the [16:23] security posture that we now have to be in. And oh, by the way, we're in the middle of a war. It's a [16:28] really complex picture here going forward. I want to bring in Danny Savalos, Danny, uh, [16:33] there's going to be a detention here. And we know this week, do you see any scenario where, [16:37] where this man is released from federal custody? Zero. This is what you call a presumption case. [16:43] And that even came up, uh, during the hearing, the very brief hearing today. Normally the Bail Reform [16:49] Act says that people have a presumption of bail while they, when they appear before the magistrate, [16:55] but there are certain cases in which there's a presumption that no set of circumstances or [17:00] conditions will keep the public safe or ensure the defendant's appearance at trial. So this is [17:05] what we call presumption case. You've got guns. Those are usually presumptions. He will remain [17:11] in custody no matter what happens in three days at the bail hearing. All right, Danny Savalos, [17:15] we think you want to get quickly to Gabe Gutierrez, who's covering this from the White House. Gabe, [17:19] the White House has come out today to, to highlight what happened on Saturday night, [17:23] to talk about security and, and steps going forward. And it's really unclear how this event [17:28] changes the president's schedule going forward and the events he holds, whether they be indoors [17:32] or outdoors. Yes, that's right, Tom. Look, uh, the president has said that he wants to redo this [17:36] dinner within the next 30 days or so. Right now, it's very unclear exactly how that will happen, [17:41] what venue it would happen at. The White House is using this opportunity to try and make the case for why, [17:47] uh, the president wants that massive ballroom that has been very controversial and has been, uh, [17:52] tied up in the courts right now. That ballroom proposed to be 90,000 square feet. And, uh, [17:57] the president saying, uh, private donations would cover it. Uh, it would only hold about [18:01] a thousand people though. And as you heard earlier, the White House correspondence, [18:04] there are more than 2000 people at that event. Now, just a short time ago, we heard from Caroline [18:09] Levitt. She says this week, Secret Service, DHS and the White House Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, [18:14] will hold a meeting to discuss security moving forward, Tom. Gabe Gutierrez. First, [18:17] I want to thank Gabe and Danny and Tom and Kelly for their coverage. This is going to conclude this [18:22] NBC News special report. A reminder, we're going to be back here in about an hour for a DOJ news [18:27] conference on this same incident. And of course, we'll have much more on our streaming network, [18:30] NBC News Now, online at NBCnews.com. And a full wrap up tonight on Nightly News. I'm Tom Yamas. [18:36] We thank you for watching.