White House Correspondents' Dinner Shooting Suspect in Court, Pleads Not Guilty

The alleged White House Correspondents' Dinner gunman is claiming he's innocent ... pleading not guilty Monday morning to charges tied to the terrifying D.C. shooting incident that sent President Donald Trump and other top officials scrambling for safety last month.

Cole Allen appeared in federal court and pleaded not guilty to all charges stemming from the April 25 chaos at the Washington Hilton Hotel ... where prosecutors say he stormed a security checkpoint armed with multiple guns, knives and extra ammunition near the high-profile event.

A grand jury indicted Allen on charges of attempting to kill the president, assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon, and weapons counts, according to NewsNation. His federal public defender spoke on his behalf, saying he "pleads not guilty to all four counts as charged," NBC News reports.

According to officials, the 31-year-old exchanged gunfire with a U.S. Secret Service officer after allegedly rushing the checkpoint. The agent was shot once in the chest but survived thanks to a ballistic vest and was later released from the hospital. Allen was not hit during the exchange.

The shocking scene reportedly caused panic inside the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on April 25 ... with Trump, cabinet members and lawmakers quickly evacuating while attendees ducked under tables.

Federal prosecutors say Allen traveled from California to D.C. by train before checking into the hotel. They also claim he was dressed in black and carrying a shoulder holster, knife, pliers and wire cutters at the time of the incident.

Investigators say Allen sent a manifesto to family members shortly before the alleged attack, apologizing and criticizing Trump administration officials, who he allegedly described as "targets."