Officials revealed Saturday that the suspect detained after a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner is believed to have been a hotel guest, enabling him to bypass the outermost security layer. President Donald Trump was scheduled to speak at the event.
Security at the Washington Hilton
The annual dinner always sees tight security when the president attends, especially given the venue's history: 45 years ago, the Washington Hilton was the site of an attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan. Law enforcement argued that their "multi-layered protection" worked as designed, but the incident is sure to raise further questions about security around the president and political events, following high-profile acts of political violence in recent years.
Interim police chief Jeffery Carroll of Washington D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department told reporters Saturday evening that investigators believe the suspect was staying in the hotel, which appears to be how he entered during the event. The hotel was closed to the public from 2 p.m. Saturday in anticipation of the dinner starting at 8 p.m. Outside, dozens of protesters gathered in the rain, mostly directing criticism at the media.
Access to the hotel was restricted to hotel guests, ticket holders for the dinner, invitation holders for receptions, or those with documents from the White House Correspondents' Association indicating affiliation. The 2,300 guests in the hotel's subterranean ballroom had to pass additional checks, including showing tickets to volunteers and hotel staff and passing through magnetometers manned by the Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration.
It was not immediately released when the suspect checked into the hotel. Security camera footage released by Trump to social media shortly after the incident shows the gunman running past security officers who appear to be disassembling the metal detectors. Once the president was seated, additional attendees were not permitted, which is why detectors were being taken down.
"It shows that our multi-layered protection works," said Secret Service director Sean Curran. Carroll echoed this, stating the security plan developed by the Secret Service "did work this evening."
Security Inside the Ballroom
Inside the ballroom, further measures were in place. The Secret Service maintained a perimeter around the president with a buffer separating him and others at the head table from attendees. Armored plates were hidden under Trump's table. Secret Service agents were stationed in front of the stage and in its wings, along with heavily armed counter-assault agents. Security details for dozens of other high-profile attendees were also present. A hotel spokesperson directed questions to the Secret Service.
History of the Venue
The Washington Hilton has a long presidential history. It regularly hosts large events, especially those featuring the president, and was the site of the 1981 shooting of Ronald Reagan by John Hinckley Jr., who believed the attack would impress actress Jodie Foster.
After that incident, the hotel built extensive security modifications, including a secured garage for the presidential limo, a dedicated elevator and staircase to a secured suite, and a reserved bathroom with monogrammed towels for the president.
Because of its presidential history, the Secret Service has long used the annual event to train agents, as the venue has been extensively studied. Since the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting, many major hotels have tightened security protocols, including periodic room checks and policies flagging extended privacy requests. It was not immediately clear when the suspect checked in or whether such measures would have affected this case.
