Donald and Melania Trump were evacuated from the White House correspondents’ dinner on Saturday evening after gunfire interrupted the event at the Washington Hilton. Hundreds of guests hid under tables as US Secret Service agents, with guns drawn, rushed reporters out of the ballroom, mentioning “shots fired”.
The Metropolitan Police Department’s Jeff Carroll said a suspect “charged a US Secret Service checkpoint” armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives before being tackled and handcuffed. The suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was a guest at the hotel, which allowed him to bypass outermost security layers, officials said.
Security at the annual event was tight, with the hotel closed to the public from 2pm ahead of the 8pm dinner. The 2,300 guests passed through multiple checks including magnetometers, and a Secret Service perimeter separated the president from other attendees. Counter-assault agents were also stationed around the stage.
President Trump later said one officer was shot but saved by a bulletproof vest, praising the law enforcement response. He stated he would have preferred to return to deliver his speech, but the gala would be rescheduled within 30 days. Trump also claimed the Secret Service performed better than during the assassination attempt in Butler, describing the suspect as “fast”.
The suspect has been charged with felony firearm and assault charges, according to the US attorney for the District of Columbia. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said the suspect was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. World leaders condemned the act of political violence and expressed relief that no one was seriously harmed.
