Selfie taken by the banquet shooter in a hotel room [Reuters, Yonhap News]

The suspect who caused a shooting incident near the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, attended by U.S. President Donald Trump, had been planning the crime for several weeks and took a selfie in his hotel room just before the attack, it has been revealed.

The Wall Street Journal reported on April 29 (local time) that the U.S. prosecution revealed the movements of the shooting suspect, Cole Allen, 31, before and after the crime, as well as photos taken by the suspect just before the incident, in documents submitted to the court.

Allen, armed with a shotgun and knives, was arrested on the evening of April 25 after charging into a security checkpoint near the banquet hosted by the White House Correspondents' Association at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington D.C. and opening fire. President Trump and his wife were among those attending the dinner and were evacuated amidst the commotion.

According to documents submitted by the U.S. prosecution, Allen booked a two-night stay at the Washington Hilton Hotel on April 6. Allen, who had been planning the crime for several weeks, used a rideshare service to travel from his home to Los Angeles Union Station on April 21. He then took an Amtrak train, passing through Chicago, and arrived in Washington on the afternoon of April 24, the day before the incident. He purchased a three-day Metro travel card and headed to the hotel.

An analysis of Allen's phone logs and other records by the prosecution indicated that Allen had been researching President Trump's movements and information about the White House Correspondents' Dinner for several weeks prior to the incident.

Specifically, on April 25, the day of the incident, Allen repeatedly searched for news and websites showing President Trump's whereabouts while going in and out of his hotel room multiple times.

A selfie taken by Allen shortly before the incident, in front of his hotel room mirror with a slight smile, has also been released. He was seen wearing a black shirt and pants, with a leather bag containing ammunition and a sheath with a knife inserted.

Having completed his preparations, Allen charged, armed, towards the security checkpoint near the banquet hall and fired one shot towards the stairs leading to the dining area. U.S. Secret Service agents responded immediately, but Allen was not hit by gunfire and reportedly sustained only minor injuries to his knee during his arrest.

At the time of his arrest, Allen was in possession of a shotgun, a handgun, a dagger, a sheath, wire cutters, a mobile phone, and several unused magazines. The prosecution stated that additional weapons and ammunition were found in his hotel room.

The handgun and shotgun possessed by Allen were confirmed to have been legally sold in California in 2023 and 2025, respectively.

The U.S. Department of Justice has submitted a 20-page document to the court requesting that Allen's detention be extended indefinitely.

The U.S. Department of Justice, characterizing the shooting incident as an act of extreme political violence, stated in its request for indefinite detention that "the motive for the crime will persist whenever Trump administration officials appear in public."