Donald Trump attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner for the first time as president, and gunshots suddenly rang out in the ballroom, creating chaos.
Hundreds of guests collapsed at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night and gunfire erupted in the hotel ballroom, plunging the entire event attended by President Donald Trump into complete chaos.
The Secret Service acted quickly to evacuate President Trump and Vice President Vance from the scene, and attendees scrambled to hide under tables and rush for the exits.
“The Secret Service and law enforcement in Washington had a great night and acted very quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended and I recommend that we ‘let the show go on,’ however, we will be fully guided by law enforcement. They will make a decision very soon. Regardless of that decision, tonight will be very different than planned and we simply say, it must be done again,” said Donald Trump.
CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer was in the bathroom when gunfire rang out and encountered the gunman in the hallway.
He described seeing someone opening fire with what he called a “large weapon” and panic immediately spread throughout the ballroom.
Security guards swarmed the space, shouting orders, and hundreds of people ducked and sought shelter, their formal suits and black ties losing their composure in seconds.
Initial reports said the gunman was killed in the lobby, but CNN later corrected that, reporting that the suspect was actually in custody.
Sources revealed that there were no casualties in the incident, and both Trump and Vance escaped unharmed.
The whole scene went from press celebration to a full-blown security emergency in an instant.
Attendees remained inside the ballroom while authorities cordoned off the area and investigated what happened.
The dinner, which was supposed to be an evening filled with speeches, awards and barbecues, was a reminder of how quickly things can change.
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner has been a tradition for more than a century, bringing together journalists, politicians and celebrities for an evening of humor and friendship.
This year’s event was already generating controversy as Trump made his first appearance as president, but no one expected the night to end this way.
Investigators are working to determine what exactly led to the shooting and how the suspect entered the restaurant armed.
