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A glamorous Saturday night in a Washington ballroom intended to celebrate the White House Correspondents’ Association turned chaotic after gunfire erupted. President Donald Trump was seated on stage at his first appearance at the event as president when loud bangs interrupted the festivities, prompting alarm among attendees.
Footage from AFPTV, other news organizations, and AFP reporters on-site revealed a scene in disarray. Following the gunfire, urgent shouts of “Stay down!” and “Get down!” echoed across the room as numerous guests, including journalists, government officials, and members of Trump’s cabinet, quickly took cover.
Amidst the turmoil, Trump was swiftly surrounded by Secret Service agents armed and ready, who hurried him off the stage and through a rear curtain as the crowd crouched in shock. The musical performance abruptly halted, and the attendees, dressed in evening gowns and tuxedos, quieted as agents moved through the room, securing the area of the Washington Hilton— the same hotel where President Ronald Reagan narrowly escaped an assassination attempt over four decades ago.
As reports of gunfire spread, Mehmet Oz, who oversees the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under Trump, was seen being evacuated by security personnel. Also among those hurried out was Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose uncle, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas in 1963.
Law enforcement quickly detained a person of interest after the incident, with authorities confirming that both the President and First Lady Melania Trump are safe. An official statement from the Secret Service indicated they are investigating the shooting near the main security checkpoint for the event, with one individual in custody. It remains uncertain whether the suspect fired the shots or if security responded with gunfire.
By around 8:40 p.m. (0040 GMT), police were seen rushing through the streets surrounding the Hilton, clearing traffic and lifting barriers as a helicopter orbited overhead. A motorcade later departed the hotel heading toward the White House.
Inside the evacuated ballroom, witnesses recounted hearing the chaos and seeing the Secret Service deploy to protect the president. Alexandra Ingersoll, a journalist for One America News, described crouching under a table, uncertain if the situation was under control. Guests disbursed into the Hilton lobby, where they embraced, made calls, and texted loved ones while officials issued further statements.
Later, the Secret Service confirmed they are investigating a shooting incident near the main security screening point for the event. They assured the public that everyone in their protection, including the president, remains safe, and that one individual has been taken into custody. The details about whether anyone was wounded or if gunfire was exchanged were not immediately available.
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