Shots fired at White House correspondents dinner leave Trump unharmed

US President, First Lady, and Cabinet Unharmed in Shooting Incident at Washington Hilton Hotel

A shooting incident occurred outside the White House correspondents’ dinner event at the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington, DC, on Saturday evening. US President Donald Trump, his wife Melania Trump, and members of the Cabinet were present at the event before being evacuated to a safe location.

According to reports, shots were fired outside the ballroom where the president and first lady had been seated. The Secret Service responded quickly, and one individual was taken into custody. A Secret Service officer was also reportedly shot during the incident, but was treated for non-life-threatening injuries due to his bulletproof vest.

In a news conference after the incident, President Trump described the suspect as “a very sick person” and a “thug” who had attacked the US Constitution. He stated that the suspect had been armed with multiple weapons and had charged a security checkpoint before being subdued by the Secret Service.

The FBI is currently investigating the incident and examining the suspect’s background. Multiple media outlets have identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California.

President Trump has faced multiple assassination attempts in the past, including a near-miss shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024. The Secret Service has been working to prevent such incidents and ensure the president’s safety.

The incident has sparked a response from world leaders, with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressing her relief that President Trump and his wife were unharmed.

Source: Al Jazeera