Gunfire rang out inside the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C., on Saturday night. Security quickly arrested a suspect at the scene. An officer was shot at close range, but his bulletproof vest absorbed the impact and likely saved his life.
The annual dinner was held at the Washington Hilton, with President Trump attending for the first time since taking office. First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and hundreds of journalists, media personalities and government officials were also in attendance.
Police say a suspected gunman ran into the hotel foyer and attempted to push past security officers and the metal detectors at about 00:35 GMT. Loud bangs echoed through the venue, prompting security personnel to immediately escort the president and other officials out of the ballroom. Hundreds of guests remained on site for roughly an hour before staff cleared the room.
President Trump later shared images and a video of the suspect on social media. Authorities have identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, 31. He is expected to be charged on Monday with multiple offences, including using a firearm during a crime of violence.
Commenting after the incident, Mr. Trump said, “I can’t imagine any professions that are more dangerous,” reflecting on several shooting attempts over the past three years.
“A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, and he was taken down by some very brave members of the Secret Service,” Trump told a press conference at the White House shortly after the incident.
“They seem to think he was a lone wolf, and I feel that too,” he said, after posting video of the gunman sprinting past security as guards drew their weapons and opened fire. The man was detained at the scene.
Trump said one officer was shot at close range but appeared to not be seriously injured. He added that the venue was “not a particularly secure” facility as questions swirled about the president’s safety after repeated security lapses.
Trump said at a hastily arranged news conference at the White House that he first thought the noise was a tray being dropped before he realized it was gunfire, and he described the suspect as a “would-be assassin.”