The White House Correspondents’ Dinner, a highlight of Washington D.C.’s social calendar, was abruptly disrupted when gunfire erupted at the Washington Hilton. The incident occurred around 8:15 p.m., sending shockwaves through the event.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were swiftly escorted to safety as a precautionary measure, followed closely by members of the cabinet.
The glamorous evening had barely begun when chaos ensued. A suspect reportedly wielding a significant firearm entered the hotel lobby, triggering panic among the attendees.
As shots were fired, the ballroom quickly turned into a scene of turmoil. Throngs of guests scrambled for cover beneath tables and chairs, guided by Secret Service agents who urgently instructed them to seek shelter.
According to a source who spoke with The Daily Mail, a Secret Service agent was struck by a bullet but was fortunately protected by a bulletproof vest.
A Secret Service agent was shot but he was wearing a protective vest a source familiar with the matter told The Daily Mail.
No injuries have been reported and the president has since confirmed the shooter has been ‘apprehended.’
He and the First Lady have since departed the hotel and returned to the White House, where he will hold a press conference shortly.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were both rushed off stage from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner after gunshots were heard inside the Washington Hilton
Donald Trump is escorted out as a shooter opens fire during the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington
The President was attending the event for the first time since 2011 and was set to be honored and give a speech
The President was attending the event for the first time since 2011 and was set to be honored and give a speech.
The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the banquet hall at the Washington Hilton as guests dining on burrata salad ducked under tables by the hundreds.
‘Out of the way, sir!’ someone yelled. Others yelled to duck.
‘The US Secret Service, in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department, is investigating a shooting incident near the main magnetometer screening area at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. One individual is in custody,’ a White House official told The Daily Mail in a statement.
The condition of those involved is not yet known and law enforcement is actively assessing the situation.’
Trump confirmed the gunman was in custody in a post to Truth Social.
‘Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we ‘LET THE SHOW GO ON’ but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement. They will make a decision shortly. Regardless of that decision, the evening will be much different than planned, and we’ll just, plain, have to do it again.’
Security officials evacuate U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife, Cheryl Hines, as a shooter opens fire
Security officials evacuate U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson
About an hour later, however, WHCA President Weijia Jiang said that the Secret Service had asked everyone to leave.
Daily Mail reporters in attendance reported hearing three to four shots and hearing Secret Service agents yelling to get down.
Some in the crowd reported hearing what they believed to be five to eight shots fired.
The banquet hall — where hundreds of prominent journalists, celebrities and national leaders were awaiting Trump’s speech — was immediately evacuated.
Members of the National Guard took up position inside the building as people were allowed to leave but not re-enter. Security outside was also extremely tight.
It was not immediately clear what happened. A law enforcement official confirmed there was a shooter but no further details were immediately available.
Those in attendance included Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Anchor Wolf Blitzer later reported that the police said the gunman had a ‘major weapon.’
Law enforcement respond during an incident at the White House Correspondents Dinner
Agents stand guard after an incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner
Trump alongside WHCA President Weijia Jiang, did not appear to notice the gunshots before they were evacuated, as the President was speaking to the host, mentalist Oz Pearlman.
Shouts of ‘God bless America’ were heard throughout the ballroom as the entire dais was led out of the room, with many of the other guests still inside.
Protesters had been spotted both outside and inside the Washington Hilton related to the Iran War and Israel’s war on Hamas ahead of the dinner.
Jiang announced about a half hour later that the program was set to resume in ‘not much longer.’
Trump arrived Saturday night to an event where the leaders of a nation at war mingled with celebrities, journalists and even a puppet — Triumph the Insult Comic Dog — in a dinner that typically generates debate about whether the relationship between journalists and their sources should include socializing together and putting aside sometimes adversarial relationships.
This is a developing story.
