WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said a suspect was in custody after shots were fired at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday (April 25), prompting the evacuation of Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other top officials.
In a late-night press conference at the White House, Trump said one law enforcement officer was shot but the officer's bulletproof vest "did its job".
"This is not the first time in the past couple of years that our republic has been attacked by a would-be assassin who sought to kill," Trump said, adding that "in light of this evening's events, I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts and resolving our differences peacefully."
Trump, still in his tuxedo from the dinner, was flanked by several members of his administration, many of whom were at the event, which has been both a celebration of press freedom and Washington's most prominent annual gala.
In a previous social media post, Trump said Vance, First Lady Melania Trump and all cabinet members attending the dinner "are in perfect condition."
The meal service had just begun when attendees reported hearing noises that sounded like gunshots. Trump said the gunman ran through a security checkpoint but did not breach the ballroom where the dinner was being held.
"It was a pretty loud noise, and it was from quite far away. He hadn't reached the area at all, and some people really understood that," Trump told reporters.
"I was watching to see what was happening. Melania was very cognizant. It's a bad noise, and I and we were whisked away."
"And again, the performance of the Secret Service, and it was very quick. There's a lot of time to be thinking. It was a matter of seconds before we're out the door," he said.
The dinner was cancelled. Trump said it would be rescheduled within 30 days and cited the incident as justification for building his planned ballroom behind the White House's security cordon.
Few details were immediately released about the suspect. Trump said the shooter appeared to be a California resident.
A witness said they heard security yelling in the corridor for someone to stop before a commotion and a series of gunshots. The Secret Service said the alleged shooter was in custody, according to a White House pool report.
Attendees hid under tables as agents evacuated Trump, Vance and other officials.
US attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said the Secret Service had assumed control of the hotel.
She added that DC Mayor Muriel Bowser was heading to the scene, along with interim Metropolitan Police chief Jeffery W. Carroll, who would take command on arrival.
Rudy Sahay, managing partner of Aquarian Holdings, said he had just stepped out of the room and was heading up a staircase when the incident unfolded.
"We took a few steps up and we heard 'Stop stop stop,' a boom and then pop pop pop," he said.
John Lambert, a dinner attendee and president of Boat Evolution Inc, said he was walking towards the bathroom and saw a man sprinting past security towards stairs leading down to the ballroom.
Several security officers chased him and many shots - perhaps as many as 20 - were fired at the person running towards the stairs, Lambert said.
Lambert said he was ushered into the men's restroom.
Trump's presence at the dinner is unusual. While US presidents have historically attended the event, he has skipped most of them since his 2016 election victory.
He became the first president to avoid the dinner since Jimmy Carter, who did not attend in 1978 and 1980.
The dinner is a fundraiser that supports scholarships for journalism students. It has also become a magnet for celebrities who mingle with politicians and the press.
As it has grown in size and attention, it has been criticised as illustrating a too-cozy relationship between journalists and the people they cover.
No further details about the shooting were known, including how many shots were fired or whether anyone attending the event was injured.
Trump survived an assassination attempt during an outdoor rally in Pennsylvania in July 2024. The Secret Service has also dealt with other attempts on his life.
Ryan Routh was sentenced to life in prison after a jury convicted him of trying to kill Trump at his Florida golf course in September 2024.
More recently, an armed man entering a secured area at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in February was shot and killed after a confrontation with Secret Service agents and a local law enforcement official.
The Washington Hilton was also the site of an assassination attempt in 1981, when then-president Ronald Reagan was shot and seriously injured by gunman John Hinckley Jr as he was leaving the hotel. - Bloomberg
