It is typically the biggest night of the year for Washington, DC's journalists and power players. But this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner will go down in history for all the wrong reasons after a shooter unleashed a hail of bullets during the glitzy event.
Guests barely had a chance to tuck into their appetizers before Secret Service agents swarmed the Washington Hilton's ballroom following a series of 'loud noises.' As Donald Trump and the First Lady were whisked to safety, terrified guests took cover anywhere they could as they waited anxiously for news.
We now know that the source of the commotion was a lone shooter, who breached a security checkpoint and was taken down by law enforcement following an exchange of gunfire. One Secret Service agent was shot but is expected to recover, while the suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, now faces at least three charges.
As investigators work to piece together a motive amid the chaos, see some of the most striking images from the dramatic event below.
Harrowing Moments
The harrowing moment President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were informed of the shooting before they were swiftly evacuated. A collection of celebrities, journalists and other Washington power players ducked for cover after shots were fired at the White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Washington Hilton.
Erika Kirk sobbed 'I just want to go home' as she was evacuated from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting. Secret Service agents were ready to spring into action. One of their own was the lone victim of the shooting, though he was protected by his bulletproof vest.
Suspect in Custody
Shooting suspect Cole Thomas Allen, 31, lies in an ambulance after being escorted from the dinner. US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro said he will be arraigned Monday on at least three charges. President Trump shared this dramatic image of the shirtless alleged shooter after he was taken down by law enforcement.
Allen is seen wrapped in a foil blanket on a stretcher after investigators say he unleashed a hail of bullets. He was taken to the hospital for a medical check but appeared unharmed, police said.
Evacuation and Aftermath
A frantic guest makes a phone call shortly after being evacuated from the ballroom. Guests were whisked out shortly after the gunfire erupted at around 8:15 pm. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino leaps over a chair amid the chaos. Security officials evacuate US House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).
CNN's Wolf Blitzer was just feet away from the shooter when he opened fire and appeared visibly shaken and missing a shoe in a video taken moments after. Guests congregated outside of a Washington DC 7-Eleven following the shooting. All of the guests were evacuated and the dinner was postponed.
The president called a press briefing at the White House just thirty minutes after he was whisked away from the event. Journalists still trapped at the Hilton tuned into his briefing using any devices they could find. Law enforcement officials responded to an address connected to Cole Tomas Allen, the shooting suspect at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
