Man ‘armed with multiple weapons’ disrupts White House event at hotel, arrested
Trump says suspect was armed with multiple weapons; one officer shot but saved by bulletproof vest as shooter targets event attended by top US govt officials
US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance were rushed out of the White House Correspondents' Association dinner after gunshots were heard during the event on Saturday night.
About an hour after Trump was evacuated from the event, he posted on Truth Social that a "shooter had been apprehended. Quite an evening in DC Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job," he said.
Videos on social media showed Trump and the first lady bending down behind the dais before being evacuated by Secret Service officers. About 2,600 people were at the event at the Washington Hilton hotel. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were also present at the event.
There did not immediately appear to be any injuries, and one law enforcement official said a shooter had opened fire. Authorities said the incident occurred outside the ballroom where Trump and other guests were seated. It was not immediately clear what happened. The event was called off and will be rescheduled.
The FBI said the shooter is in custody and that its Washington field office is responding to the shooting.
Shooter's picture
An hour after US President Donald Trump and other top leaders of the United States were evacuated from the dinner event, Trump posted pictures of the shooter pinned to the ground.
The suspected shooter at the White House Correspondent's Dinner has reportedly been identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, a resident of Torrance, California.
Trump has shared a video of the suspect behind a shooting incident at a media gala in Washington. The 24-second clip, posted on Truth Social, shows the suspect charging towards the venue of the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
The video further shows Secret Service agents taking positions and pointing their guns at the suspect.
Trump has shared images of the suspected shooter on Truth Social, which show him pinned to the ground without a shirt and with his hands tied behind his back.
Trump has said that the suspected shooter was a "sick person" and looked "pretty evil". And, added that "people who do the most" are attacked the most.
'President's job a dangerous profession'
Trump struck a somber tone as he addressed reporters at the White House, saying being president is “a dangerous profession” and that attempted violence against him is “part of the job”.
Trump said more details would be forthcoming about the shooter's identity and motive, but said that the world was a violent place and, when it came to his own presidency, “When you're impactful they go after you.” The president commended the Secret Service and suggested that the shooter wasn't close to breaching the ballroom where Trump was seated on stage at the time of the incident.
The president, who had repeatedly said he wanted to continue the White House Correspondents' dinner until law enforcement said otherwise, insisted it would be rescheduled and would happen. He stressed that the event will be “better” and “we'll make it safer”.
“I see so many tuxedos and beautiful dresses,” Trump said. “It was a little different evening than we thought. But we're going to do it again.” As he described the sequence of events, Trump emphasised that the shooter still remained a far distance from the ballroom where thousands of people had gathered for the dinner.
“He hadn't anywhere close to breached the doors of the ballroom,” the president said.
As he began the news conference, Trump however called for tougher security measures, saying that “today, we need levels of security that probably nobody has ever seen before”.
He cited Saturday's incident as a reason his ballroom, being constructed at the White House, is needed.
'Violence no place in democracy': PM Modi
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he was relieved that US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President J D Vance were safe and unharmed after a security incident at the White House Correspondents' dinner in Washington.
Modi said violence has no place in democracy and must be unequivocally condemned.
"Relieved to learn that President Trump, the First Lady and Vice President are safe and unharmed following the recent security incident at a Washington DC hotel. I extend my best wishes for their continued safety and well-being. Violence has no place in a democracy and must be unequivocally condemned," Modi said in a post on X.
Lone shooter armed with knives
Trump said the suspect was armed with multiple weapons before stopped by Secret Service. One officer was shot, but he was protected by a bulletproof vest.
“He was shot from very close distance with a very powerful gun, and the vest did the job,” Trump said. The suspect was carrying guns and knives and was believed to be acting alone, the mayor of Washington said later Saturday night.
“We have no reason to believe at this time that anyone else was involved,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a news conference. “At this point, it does appear he is a lone actor.” She added, “There does not appear to be any sort of danger to the public at this time.”
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said the suspect has been charged with firearms and assault charges.
Trump's message
Trump was asked what his message to the world was following the suspected shooting. "You can have the greatest security in the world but if you've got a whack job whose brain is distorted, they can make trouble," he replied.
When asked "if it's possible to turn the temperature down" following this evening's incident. "Probably, if I decided to just not do much and if I let everybody rip us off," he said. The president says it is the cost of doing business to participate in politics in America. He adds that there is political violence all over the world.
"I can't imagine that there's any profession that's more dangerous," he says, adding "no country is immune".
Reagan shot at same hotel in 1981
Today's shooting incident took place at the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Avenue - the same hotel in which Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded in 1981.
That shooting took place on 30 March 1981, when the culprit, John Hinckley Jr, shot at Reagan as he was returning to his limousine after a speaking engagement inside the hotel. Reagan survived, but was seriously wounded by a bullet that ricocheted off the side of a presidential limousine and hit him in the torso, breaking a rib and puncturing one of his lungs. He was rushed to the nearby George Washington University Hospital, and was eventually released on 11 April.
This event prompted redesigns of the property that increased security and added a special presidential suite near the entrance where chief executives could be taken.
Trump was dispatched there briefly after the incident Saturday night.
Suspect's motive unclear
According to agencies, the interim police chief Carroll, said that they could not say at this point what the shooter's motivation was, and that it is too soon to know who the suspect had intended to target in the shooting.
Suspect faces preliminary charges related to firearm possession, assault.
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said the suspect is being charged preliminarily with two charges related to using a firearm and assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon, but that there will be many more charges filed “based on the information that we are learning in this very fluid situation”.
Pirro said the suspect would be arraigned on Monday in federal district court. Police chief told the media the suspect was armed with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives. He said investigators had no reason to believe at this time that anyone else was involved.
No injuries reported
There did not immediately appear to be any injuries, reported news agency AP. The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the banquet hall at the Washington Hilton as guests ducked under tables by the hundreds. Audible gasps echoed through the ballroom as guests realized something was happening. Hundreds of journalists got on phones to call in information.
Some in the crowd reported hearing what they believed to be five to eight shots fired. “Out of the way, sir!” someone yelled. Others yelled to duck. From one corner, a “God Bless America” chant began as the president was escorted offstage. He fell briefly — he apparently tripped — and was helped up by Secret Service agents.
The banquet hall — where hundreds of prominent journalists, celebrities and national leaders were awaiting Trump’s speech — was immediately evacuated. Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead. People were allowed to leave but not re-enter.
'Believed tray being dropped'
Trump, describing what was going through his mind as the shots rang out, said he initially believed it was a tray being dropped, noting that the noise was “quite far away”. But the first lady, he said, was “very cognizant” that it was a shooting.
“I think she knew immediately what happened,” the president said, recalling that his wife told him, “That's a bad noise.” The president also reiterated that he had wanted to continue the dinner, saying, “I fought like hell to stay.” He said in an earlier social media post that law enforcement officials wanted the dinner to end.
Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency is examining a long gun and shell casings recovered from the scene, as well as interviewing witnesses from the dinner. He urged anyone with information to come forward.
Event to be rescheduled
Authorities said the incident occurred outside the subterranean ballroom where Trump and other guests were seated. After an initial attempt to resume, the event was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
“We will do this again,” said Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents' Association. Shortly afterward, staff began breaking down table settings and the presidential lectern.
All officials protected by the Secret Service were evacuated. Those in attendance included Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — and many other leaders of the Trump administration.
(With agency inputs)