President Donald Trump revealed that First Lady Melania Trump told him she recognized the sound of gunfire moments after shots were fired at the White House Correspondents' Dinner held at the Washington Hilton Hotel.
President's Account of the Incident
Speaking at a White House press briefing in the West Wing within an hour of the violence, Trump stated, 'It's always shocking when something like this happens.' He described the moment: 'We're sitting right next to each other, [the] First Lady and I heard a noise,' adding that they initially thought 'it was either a tray or a bullet.'
Trump elaborated, 'I heard a noise and kinda thought it was a tray going down.' However, Melania Trump immediately identified the sound as a 'bad noise,' which the President noted 'was a rather traumatic experience for her.'
Chaos in the Banquet Hall
Inside the dining room approximately an hour before, several shots rang out, causing attendees to duck under tables in a frantic scramble for safety. Some journalists remained seated or knelt to film the aftermath as Secret Service agents and other security personnel rushed through the room to secure the many top-ranking politicians present.
Within seconds of the shots, the President, First Lady, and Vice President took cover under their table on stage at the front of the room. Shortly thereafter, agents began combing through the hundreds of tables in the massive banquet hall to secure top Cabinet officials.
Security Response
The Secret Service's Counter Assault Team (CAT) rushed the stage, dressed in black tactical gear and carrying large rifles. Trump later posted an image of the man who attempted to breach security on his social media.
This is a breaking news story and will continue to be updated.
