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Cole Allen’s cross-country train musings show ‘scattered’ mindset of accused would-be Trump killer: expert

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A court filing by prosecutors in the case against Cole Allen, accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump, provided a glimpse into the 31-year-old’s mind in the days leading up to last weekend’s attack at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, D.C.

According to the filing, Allen boarded an Amtrak train on April 21 after purchasing a one-way ticket from Los Angeles to the nation’s capital, stopping in only Chicago to change trains. While he rode, prosecutors say he “kept a running note on his phone of his observations and thoughts during his cross-country train journey.”

But those notes had nothing to do with Allen’s alleged plan to commit the ultimate crime. Rather, his musings along the way, in tandem with what he wrote in a later manifesto, paint a picture of an unfocused person whose thoughts were “scattered,” as one former FBI behavioral analyst said, despite the gravity of the situation.

While he traveled through the U.S. southwest on the first leg of his trip, Allen made a note: “[t]he southwest desert in spring Distant wind turbines looming like snowy mountains across the hazy NM desert.”

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING: TIMELINE TRACES HOW SUSPECT’S ALLEGED CROSS-COUNTRY PLAN UNFOLDED

Of Chicago, where he would switch trains and board a second train to his final destination, Allen wrote that, “Chicago is cool; kinda like an Iowa small town was scaled up to LA size.” Of the sliver of southwestern Pennsylvania through which he would pass, he wrote that the “woods are awesome (look like vast fairy lands filled with tiny trickling creeks in spring apparently.”

Allen arrived in Washington, D.C. early in the afternoon on Friday, April 24. He spent about 30 hours in the city before initiating his alleged attack.

Surveillance video from the Washington Hilton hotel, also released by the Department of Justice, showed Allen apparently pacing through hallways, once entering the hotel’s fitness center and taking a look around before hastily exiting.

COLE ALLEN IDENTIFIED AS SUSPECT IN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING

Minutes before the attack, a pre-scheduled email from Allen was sent to his family and friends, explaining his actions, according to authorities.

He allegedly acknowledged that his mission would likely severely harm him at the least, but never stated that he was willing to die for his cause. His motivations were political, and he painted himself as a savior of the oppressed. He apologized profusely to family, friends and everyone he had come in contact with on his cross-country trek. He noted that there were certain people he hoped wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire, and described himself as “friendly.”

Jonny Grusing served as a special agent in the FBI’s Denver Field Office for 25 years. For 13 of those years, he was the Behavioral Analysis Unit coordinator for the division.

UNABOMBER INVESTIGATOR REVEALS LIKELY BREAKING POINT OF ALLEGED WOULD-BE TRUMP ASSASSIN

“His flippancy of what he was talking about in the train or writing about, coincides with what he writes in his manifesto as, ‘hello everybody, so I may have given a lot of people a surprise today,'” said Grusing. “I mean, that’s not someone who’s singularly focused on a grievance.”

I would say he was conflicted. He’s apologizing to everyone, even people that he rode along the [train] with, which he’s not harming them in any way,” said Grusing. “But he’s apologizing to the people at work, he’s apologizing to his family and he’s apologizing to the people he might have to do violence to. Whether that’s him trying to convince whoever reads this, that he’s a not a bad person or that he’s conflicted … that’s not someone to me who seems single-minded that he’s going to be successful in his mission.”

Grusing said Allen seemed “scattered,” and described him as a narcissist.

“The profiling unit taught us about dangerous human characteristics and the two I think that would apply to Mr. Allen are narcissism and psychopathy,” he said. “I think he’s become more narcissistic just from his writings, in saying that, ‘this is on me,’ ‘this is my problem,’ [and] ‘I have to act.'”

“And then even him trying to manage other people’s perception of him, like the people that rode on the train with him and helped him with his luggage, they weren’t affected by this at all,” said Grusing. “But yet he feels like he’s impacting all of society by doing what he’s doing, which again, that’s what makes me think, when he makes these little statements and apologies to everyone, he’s saying, ‘I’m going to become a national name by doing this. Look at me.'”

“So he’s putting himself as this martyr, as this patriot, as the only one who can really fix this thing that’s broken, and that’s very dangerous.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Allen’s attorney.

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American Culture Quiz: Test yourself on remarkable road trips and cool coin collections

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The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people — including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States.

This week’s quiz highlights remarkable road trips, cool coin collections — and a lot more.

Can you get all 8 questions right?

Give it a try and see how you do!

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To try your hand at more quizzes from Fox News Digital, click here. 

Also, to take our latest News Quiz — published every Friday — click here.

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76ers’ Joel Embiid faces ‘flopping’ accusations after Philly’s Game 7 over Celtics

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The Boston Celtics watched as their 3-1 series lead against the Philadelphia 76ers slipped away this week as they lost Game 7 and were eliminated from the playoffs on Saturday night.

The 76ers won Game 7, 109-100, behind Joel Embiid’s 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Embiid made nine of his 11 free-throw attempts, but drew flopping accusations from Celtics star Jaylen Brown after the game.

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“Embiid put a lot of pressure on us, like on all our bigs and our guards,” he said, via Mass Live. “We didn’t really have an answer for him. We tried a bunch of different things and he just, he’s a big body, and also he was flopping around, he got some extra calls and stuff like that, and they rewarded him for that. That’s the league that we’re in. So, that’s all I got to say.”

Tyrese Maxey added 30 points and VJ Edgecombe added 23 in the win.

One of the key difference-makers in Game 7 were Philadelphia’s 3-point shooting. The 76ers were 39% from long range while Boston shot 27%. The Celtics were 13-of-49.

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Brown said after the game that he didn’t feel as though Philadelphia was a “traditional” No. 7 seed. He gave credit to Maxey, Embiid and Paul George’s effectiveness.

“Like we just didn’t really have an answer for Embiid in the games that he played. He just was a problem for us,” Brown added. “Obviously, we didn’t know if he was going to be able to play because of his appendicitis, or whatever you call it, but I think that made the difference. But give credit to (76ers head coach) Nick Nurse. Give credit to Philadelphia. They got better.”

Boston also lost Jayson Tatum to an injury in the middle of Game 6 and he exited Game 7, while trying to play through an injury.

Philadelphia will play the New York Knicks in the next round.

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Prince William, Kate Middleton share new portrait of Princess Charlotte to mark her 11th birthday

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Prince William and Kate Middleton shared a new portrait of Princess Charlotte on Saturday for her 11th birthday along with a video that showed her playing on a recent beach holiday.

The posts come as the royals remain in the political spotlight, just two days after King Charles concluded his successful four-day U.S. state visit with President Donald Trump.

The Prince and Princess of Wales second-born wears a casual black-and-red long-sleeved top and jeans with her hair down as she stands among daisies in a garden in Cornwall.

The snapshot was taken by Matt Porteous, a go-to photographer for the Wales family, who also shot the photo William and Kate shared for Prince Louis’ eighth birthday just a week ago.

KATE MIDDLETON SURPRISES WITH PIANO DUET ALONGSIDE DAUGHTER PRINCESS CHARLOTTE FOR CHRISTMAS CAROL SERVICE

“Wishing Charlotte a very happy 11th birthday!” the royal couple wrote on their social media page.

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A video montage in a separate post showed the princess playing with her dogs, Otto and Orla, throwing a ball on the beach and writing in seashells on the sand during a recent seaside family vacation in Cornwall.”

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“Thank you for the lovely birthday messages for Princess Charlotte, 11 today!” the royals captioned the video.

Otto, Orla’s son, also got his own royal birthday wish on Friday, with a windswept photo and a caption to read: “Welcome to the family, Otto! 1 today.”

PRINCE WILLIAM, KATE MIDDLETON ‘ARGUE’ OVER PRINCE GEORGE’S FUTURE: EXPERTS

Charlotte’s older brother Prince George, who is second in line to the throne after his father, will turn 13 on July 22.

KING CHARLES, QUEEN CAMILLA BRING ROYAL FLAIR TO THREE US CITIES ON TRIP MARKING AMERICA’S 250TH: PHOTOS

Helena Chard, a British broadcaster and photographer, previously told Fox News Digital that Louis’ portrait being taken in Cornwall “says it all.”

PRINCE WILLIAM, KATE MIDDLETON ‘ARGUE’ OVER PRINCE GEORGE’S FUTURE: EXPERTS

“It’s William’s Duchy, yes. But more than that, they all love Cornwall, and it paints a picture of ‘We holiday where you holiday.’ Everyone enjoys a joyful relatable image,” she explained.

Charles left the U.S. for an official visit to Bermuda, which is part of the British Commonwealth, on Thursday, after a four-day visit in which he had a bilateral meeting with Trump and a state dinner at the White House, addressed Congress, attended a 9/11 wreath-laying ceremony in New York City, and went to Virginia for 250th anniversary celebrations.

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