US president, first lady, and Cabinet unharmed after shooting at Washington Hilton hotel.

Save

Share

United States President Donald Trump has been evacuated from the venue of the White House correspondents’ dinner in Washington, DC, after shots were fired outside the event.

Trump was rushed out of the Washington Hilton hotel on Saturday evening after gunshots were heard outside the ballroom where the president and the first lady had been seated before the start of the annual media gala.

Trump, first lady Melania Trump, and Trump’s Cabinet were unharmed in the attack.

In a news conference after the incident, Trump said a man armed with multiple weapons had charged a security checkpoint, and was “taken down” by the Secret Service.

Trump described the suspect as “very sick person” and a “thug” who had attacked the US Constitution.

Trump said a Secret Service officer was shot in the attack, but he was saved by his bulletproof vest and was “doing great.”

“As you know, 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.

“In light of this evening’s events, I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts in resolving our difference peacefully,” Trump said.

Asked by a reporter if he believed he was the target of the attack, Trump responded: “I guess”.

The Secret Service said the shooting had occurred at a “screening area” and that one individual was in custody.

“The condition of those involved is not yet known, and law enforcement is actively assessing the situation,” the agency said.

Shortly before his news conference, Trump posted images on Truth Social appearing to show the suspect face down on the ground, as well as a clip of surveillance video showing a man running past security personnel, who then drew their guns and opened fire.

FBI Director Kash Patel said that officers had begun examining the suspect’s background and urged members of the public with any relevant information to come forward.

“No piece of information is too small, no piece of information is inadequate. We will evaluate it all,” Patel said.

Multiple US media outlets identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California.

Footage from the gala’s venue showed Trump and attendees taking cover behind their table after shots rang out, as people yelled “Get down!” and “Stay down!”

Trump was then rushed away from the scene by Secret Service agents, after which heavily armed agents surrounded the table.

Al Jazeera producer Chris Sheridan said he heard what he believed to be five gunshots outside the ballroom.

“We could smell the powder. We immediately dove to the ground. It was directly behind me,” Sheridan said.

“I couldn’t tell how many feet away, but it was definitely behind the doors to the entrance to the ballroom.”

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her relief that Trump and the first lady were unharmed.

“We send our respect,” she said in a post on X. “Violence should never be the way.”

Trump has been targeted in multiple assassination attempts, including a near-miss shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024.

Thomas Crooks fired eight shots at Trump during a campaign rally event, killing one bystander and lightly wounding the then-candidate’s right ear, before being shot dead by the Secret Service.

More to come…