Prosecutors Backpedal on White House Shooting

0:00On May 1st, prosecutors are walking back claims that 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen shot a secret service officer during the chaos at last. Saturday's White House correspondence dinner at the Washington Hilton, the suspect charged a security checkpoint armed with a semi-automatic handgun, a pump-action shotgun, and three knives. Officials say an officer took a bullet to the chest, but survived, thanks to his bullet-proof vest. Allen faces charges for discharging a firearm, and he's locked up awaiting trial. Early statements from President Trump and acting US Attorney General Todd Blanch pointed straight at Allen firing the shot that hit the officer. Trump even mentioned it came from close range, with a powerful gun, with a criminal complaint, and other court filings don't outright say, Allen pulled that trigger. Instead, they note a loud gunshot as he ran through the magnetometer with his long gun. Legal experts like former US Attorney Mark Lesko get why this flip-flopping happens. There's huge public pressure to spill details fast in a case this big, but a solid investigation takes weeks.

1:06Slip-ups like this could let defense lawyers create doubt. Allen's team already called out the omission in their push for his release, saying prosecutors backed off their initial story. New security footage dropped Thursday by US Attorney Janine Piro shows Allen rushing the checkpoint, raising his shotgun, while an officer fires. Five rounds that miss him. Piro insists no friendly fire, and Secret Service Director Sean Curran says, evidence points to Allen blasting point blank. Still, ballistics reviews are dragging on. Bottom line, even if that officer's shot stays murky, prosecutors have plenty of other charges to keep Allen behind bars for decades, if convicted. Expect more clarity as the evidence rolls in. I'm Cory with the story. That's your Global News Update, AI-powered and always on.