President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were evacuated from the White House correspondents' dinner on Saturday evening after gunfire interrupted the event at the Washington Hilton. The suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, is in custody and faces two counts of felony firearms and assault charges, according to US Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
The FBI confirmed that a suspect was taken into custody after the annual black-tie dinner descended into chaos. Journalists ducked under tables as security personnel rushed the president and cabinet members out of the ballroom. District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser stated that a sole gunman rushed at Secret Service agents in the hotel lobby, and there is no indication of any other individuals involved.
DC Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll said investigators believe the suspect fired a shot and was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and knives. He was believed to be a guest at the hotel. The suspect is being evaluated at a local hospital but does not appear to have been struck by gunfire. A motive for the attack has not yet emerged.
President Trump, speaking at a White House press briefing later that evening, praised the Secret Service and confirmed that an agent was hit by a bullet stopped by a ballistic vest. He described the violence as occurring 'quite far away' and noted that the Washington Hilton is 'not a particularly secure building,' advocating for a more secure ballroom at the White House.
Weijia Jiang, president of the White House correspondents' association, told guests that the president wished to reschedule the dinner within the next 30 days. 'Thank God everyone is safe, and thank you for coming together tonight,' she said. 'We will do this again.' Guests reported waiting under tables for instructions as security cleared the room. Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin recounted being thrown to the ground by a Secret Service agent, while CNN's Wolf Blitzer said he saw the gunman on the ground after he started shooting.
