Photo: Andrew Harnik / Getty Images News / Getty Images
A shooting incident interrupted the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, District of Columbia, on Saturday (April 25), prompting Secret Service agents to evacuate President Donald Trump, the first lady, Vice President JD Vance, and Cabinet members. The incident occurred near the main magnetometer screening area at the Washington Hilton, where a 30-year-old man from California was taken into custody, according to Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi and law enforcement officials.
The gunman was armed with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives. He was not shot by agents, but was taken to the hospital.
A Secret Service agent was shot in their protective gear and hospitalized, but is expected to survive.
United States attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said that the suspect was being charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of a violence, and one count of assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.
President Trump shared a video of the shooting on Truth Social.
President Trump returned to the White House, where he held a press conference to discuss the shooting. He said that the suspected shooter charged a security checkpoint "armed with multiple weapons," and "was taken down by some very brave members of Secret Service."
Trump said that he spoke to the officer who shot, noting that he was saved by his bullet-proof vest.
"I just spoke to the officer and he's doing great," Trump said, adding that he's in "great shape" and in "very high spirits."
Trump praised the law enforcement officers for their quick actions to subdue to the gunman.
"He was taken down by some very brave members of Secret Service, and they acted very quickly," Trump said.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said that he expects "charges filed shortly" against the indivudual.
"The charges should be self-evident, given the conduct, but as you'll hear, there will be multiple charges around the shooting, around the possession of firearms, and anything else that we can get get on this guy," Blanche said.
Trump said that he wanted to continue the Correspondents Dinner but said he was overruled by law enforcement officials.
“We wanted to stay tonight," Trump said. "I will tell you, I fought like hell to stay.”
Trump was asked to describe the moment he was whisked away by Secret Service.
"I heard a noise and sort of thought it was a tray. I thought it was a tray going down," Trump said. "I've heard that many times, and it was a pretty loud noise, and it was from quite far away."
“But yet, everybody in that room … there was a tremendous amount of love and coming together,” he added.
"I was watching to see what was happening, probably should have gotten down even faster," Trump continued. "Melania was very cognizant, I think, of what happened. I think she knew immediately what happened. She was saying, 'That's a bad noise.'"
Witnesses reported chaos as loud gunshots rang out in the ballroom. Attendees dropped to the floor or hid under tables, while Secret Service agents quickly secured the President and other officials. Wolf Blitzer, a CNN journalist who was just feet away, described seeing the gunman firing on the ground before law enforcement subdued him.
The annual dinner, attended by politicians, journalists, and celebrities, was canceled for the evening and will be rescheduled within 30 days.
The Secret Service and FBI are conducting a joint investigation into the incident. Authorities are reviewing how the suspect was able to reach the security checkpoint and are seeking to determine his motive. Enhanced security measures and detailed screening procedures were in place for the high-profile gathering, but officials say there will likely be a review of protocols following the breach.
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner, often referred to as “nerd prom,” is a historic annual event celebrating press freedom and supporting journalism scholarships. This year marked President Trump’s first appearance at the dinner as president.