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WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Vice President J.D. Vance were abruptly evacuated from the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday night after a heavily armed gunman opened fire near the entrance of the Washington Hilton ballroom.
The President was unharmed in the incident, and the suspect was quickly taken into custody by law enforcement.
The chaos erupted around 8:30 p.m. EDT, shortly after the black-tie event had begun. According to the Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department, a man charged a security checkpoint near the magnetometer screening area located just outside the banquet hall. Authorities stated that the suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives.
Attendees inside the ballroom, including prominent journalists, cabinet members, and dignitaries, ducked under tables as gunshots echoed through the hotel and security personnel rushed the stage to secure the President.
The suspect has been identified by law enforcement officials as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California. Initial investigations indicate that Allen was a registered guest at the hotel. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that Allen is facing multiple charges, including assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon and using a firearm during a crime of violence, with an arraignment expected on Monday.
One Secret Service officer was struck in the chest during the exchange, but officials confirmed the bullet was stopped by his ballistic vest. “He’s doing great, he’s in great shape, he’s in very high spirits,” President Trump said of the injured officer during a hastily convened press briefing at the White House later that evening. “The vest did the job.”
Speaking to reporters, Trump characterized the suspect as a “very sick person” and a “lone wolf whack job,” praising the rapid response of the Secret Service. “They acted quickly and bravely,” Trump added, noting that the incident took place outside the main hall and that the ballroom remained unified during the sudden evacuation.
In a statement posted to Truth Social shortly after the event, Trump wrote: “Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job… The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we ‘LET THE SHOW GO ON’ but will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement.” He also used the opportunity to tout his proposed plan to build a new ballroom at the White House, arguing it would provide a much more secure environment for such events moving forward.
Washington D.C. interim police chief Jeffery Carroll confirmed that the suspect was transported to Howard University Hospital for evaluation, though he was not struck by gunfire during the altercation. The FBI has taken a leading role in the ongoing investigation alongside local police to determine a potential motive.
The White House Correspondents’ Association confirmed that the dinner will be rescheduled for a later date.
Stay tuned to ABT NEWS (www.abtnews.net) for live updates as this story develops.
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