Trump Evacuated from White House Correspondents' Dinner after Shooting Incident (Video)

SadaNews - U.S. media reported that President Donald Trump was evacuated from the White House Correspondents' Dinner by his security team following a shooting incident at the venue.

In response, Trump stated that the shooter was apprehended, explaining that he recommended the continuation of the White House Correspondents' Dinner, affirming "I will comply with the directives of law enforcement agencies that will make their decision shortly."

Trump added that what happened was an eventful evening in Washington, praising the performance of the Secret Service and law enforcement agencies, confirming they did a great job.

He revealed that "the First Lady, the Vice President, and all members of the government are in excellent condition and were unharmed."

Reuters quoted Trump saying, "I will hold a press conference within 30 minutes from the White House press conference room."

Later, Trump confirmed in a speech from the White House that "the armed individual was quickly apprehended by security personnel and one security officer was injured, and I spoke to him and he is well."

Trump clarified that the attacker is detained and "is a very sick individual," noting that security forces are raiding the suspect's apartment in California after his arrest in Washington.

He added that the shooting incident that occurred last night is not the first of its kind, pointing out that assassination attempts are becoming more frequent in the United States, urging all Americans to renew their commitment to resolving political disputes peacefully, away from violence.

Trump also mentioned that authorities reviewed the circumstances surrounding the shooting incident, explaining that the venue for the dinner did not have sufficient security levels.

Additionally, he said, "I do not believe the incident is related to Iran, but we will investigate the attack," noting that "the attacker acted alone and was not supported by anyone."

The American president announced the postponement of the dinner, rescheduling it within 30 days in coordination with the organizers.

CNN reported from a source that the presidential security does not want Trump to return to participate in the dinner "despite the president expressing his desire to do so," while The New York Times confirmed that President Trump left the Washington Hilton hotel, where the dinner was held.

The New York Times, citing knowledgeable sources, explained that law enforcement officials stopped the armed individual near a security perimeter and escorted him to custody.

The New York Times also reported from American officials that the person detained is Cole Thomas Allen, 31, from California.

Fox News reported from a source that the presidential security shot the gunman while he was attempting to breach the security gate of the dinner hall.

Fox News added, citing Trump's security team, that someone attempted to cross through the security gates armed with a firearm.

The FBI Director stated that the attacker was carrying a hunting weapon, and the Bureau is leading the investigation into the attack.

It was confirmed that forensic units have begun to be deployed at the incident site, indicating that the Bureau is examining the suspect's weapon and shell casings found at the scene of the attempted breach.

The FBI announced its response to the shooting incident at the Hilton hotel in Washington, indicating the apprehension of the suspect.

The Secret Service confirmed that one person is being held for investigation in connection with the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, stating that the identities of those involved in the incident have not yet been determined.

Washington Police announced that the suspect in the attack had been residing in the hotel, pointing out that they are still at the beginning of their investigation, and preliminary indications suggest that the attacker acted alone.

The Washington Police spokesperson stated that preliminary information indicates the attacker fired shots and that they will announce further details after the investigation, noting that the attacker was not known to the city police.

For his part, the Mayor of Washington stated that there is no reason to believe there are other individuals involved in the incident, noting that one armed individual breached a checkpoint operated by the Secret Service in the hotel lobby before one of its members was able to stop him.

The Acting U.S. Attorney confirmed that two charges have been directed at the suspect, who will appear in court tomorrow, Monday.

The U.S. federal prosecutor announced that the suspect will appear before the court tomorrow, Monday, stating that he will be charged with using a firearm during the commission of a violent crime and assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.

The Associated Press reported, citing several attendees, hearing between 5 and 8 gunshots before evacuating the hall that was hosting the White House Correspondents' Dinner, while American media confirmed that President Trump and the Vice President were evacuated from the hall after a loud sound was heard within the event venue.

For his part, a Washington Post correspondent stated that a loud noise, likely a gunshot, interrupted the White House Correspondents' Dinner, noting that the Secret Service began evacuating ministers, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

It is worth mentioning that Trump has survived two assassination attempts during his campaign to return to the White House in 2024.

The first attempt occurred on July 13, 2024, during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when Thomas Matthew Crooks fired from the roof of a nearby building, injuring Trump in his right ear.

The second incident occurred on September 15, 2024, near Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, where a Secret Service agent spotted an armed man, Ryan Wesley Roth, hiding near the course before he fired at him and thwarted the attempt.