Gunman in custody after charging gala with Trump attending; motive unclear
This version of Rcrd108888 - Politics and Government | NBC News Clone was adapted by NBC News Clone to help readers digest key facts more efficiently.
The motive is still under investigation but “preliminary” findings indicate the suspect was targeting administration officials, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told NBC News.
What to know
- President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, several administration officials and members of Congress were evacuated from the room after shots rang last night at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
- One person is in custody in connection with the incident at the Washington Hilton hotel and he will be arraigned on two charges, Jeanine Pirro, U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., said.
- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche tells NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that a motive is still under investigation, but “preliminary” findings indicate the suspect was targeting administration officials.
- The suspect charged at a Secret Service checkpoint in the hotel's lobby armed with multiple weapons, D.C. police said. He then exchanged gunfire with law enforcement and was tackled, police said.
- He is believed to have acted alone, authorities said.
- The suspect was not shot but taken to a local hospital, police said. A Secret Service agent struck in his bulletproof was released from the hospital earlier today, a source said.
- The suspect has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, a federal official familiar with the case told NBC News.
Video shows Trump, Vance rushed off stage at White House Correspondents’ dinner
Secret Service rushed to remove President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance from the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner after gunfire erupted outside the ballroom.
Trump says shooting shows need for his White House ballroom project
President Trump said last night's shooting shows the need for his much-touted new ballroom at the White House.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said that the shooting "would never have happened with the Militarily Top Secret Ballroom," which is currently under construction on the grounds of the White House, replacing the building's demolished East Wing structure.
Trump wrote, without evidence, that "every President for the last 150 years, have been DEMANDING that a large, safe, and secure Ballroom be built ON THE GROUNDS OF THE WHITE HOUSE."
"While beautiful," he added, "it has every highest level security feature there is plus, there are no rooms sitting on top for unsecured people to pour in."
Work on the ballroom has been repeatedly halted by legal roadblocks, though an appeals court earlier this month allowed construction to proceed.
Suspect's guns were legally purchased, senior law enforcement official says
Cole Tomas Allen's guns were legally purchased, according to a senior law enforcement official and law enforcement documents reviewed by NBC News.
Authorities stated publicly last night that Allen had a rifle and a handgun on him when they took him into custody.
Records show that Allen purchased a Maverick 12-gauge shotgun in August 2025.
And records show he purchased an Armscor Precision .38 semi-automatic pistol in October 2023.
A senior law enforcement official tells NBC News those were the two weapons recovered from Allen last night.
Officials also said last night that he had multiple knives.
Motive of suspect still under investigation, Todd Blanche tells 'Meet the Press'
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says the motive of the person suspected of carrying out the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner is still under investigation, telling NBC News' "Meet the Press" that "preliminary" findings suggest he was targeting administration officials.
"We're still investigating a motive, and that's something that will necessarily take a couple of days at least," he told moderator Kristen Welker. "We believe he was targeting administration officials in this attack, attempted attack, but that's again, quite preliminary."
Those officials "likely" include the president, Blanche added, "but I want to wait and not get ahead of us on that."
The incident has raised security concerns and questions over how the suspect managed to breach the perimeter with a weapon.
Blanche said that investigators were looking into reports that the suspect had assembled the weapon somewhere in the hotel, but that he "didn't get very far."
"He barely broke the perimeter," he said. "And by barely, I mean by a few feet."
Blanche said the suspect would be charged formally in D.C. tomorrow.
Investigators believe, Blanche added, that the suspect traveled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago and then Chicago to Washington, D.C., before checking into the hotel where the dinner was held.
‘Extensive discussions' taking place to ensure King Charles' safety on state visit
"Extensive discussions" are taking place to ensure the security of King Charles III when his state visit to the U.S. begins tomorrow, a senior U.K. official said.
The king is due to arrive a little over 24 hours after the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
"Our teams are working closely to ensure that security arrangements are put appropriately in place,” Darren Jones, a senior British government minister, told NBC News' British broadcasting partner Sky News today.
Asked whether security would be tightened following the shooting, Jones added: "There are already extensive discussions taking place which will continue over the coming days.”
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson told NBC News that King Charles was being "kept fully informed of developments" and is "greatly relieved" that Trump and other guests were unharmed.
"As you would expect," they added, "a number of discussions will be taking place throughout the day to discuss with U.S. colleagues and our respective teams to what degree the events of Saturday evening may or may not impact on the operational planning for the visit."
What we know about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting
Security video that Trump posted on Truth Social showed a person run through a room where several security personnel were standing. Multiple law enforcement personnel drew their guns and charged after him, the video showed.
Inside the ballroom, Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other officials were rushed from the room as others ducked under tables and law enforcement ran in with guns drawn.
Not everyone in the ballroom heard the sounds of gunfire. Some NBC News reporters who were inside said there was a commotion and confusion as agents rushed in and toward where the president and other officials were seated.
Trump later returned to the White House, where he said in a news briefing that he had spoken with the injured officer, and he praised Secret Service agents for their response.
World leaders condemn Correspondents’ Dinner shooting
World leaders have condemned last night's shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner while expressing support for Trump and other guests.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said earlier that he was “relieved” that Trump, along with first lady Melania Trump and others in attendance, were safe. “My thoughts are with all those who have been shaken by this disturbing event," he added.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was "shocked" by the scenes at the dinner. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said violence had "no place in democracy," and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his “best wishes" for the safety of Trump, Vance, and the first lady.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that "violence can never be tolerated anywhere in the world," while acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez "strongly" condemned the attack.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a key mediator in talks between the U.S. and Iran, said he was “deeply shocked” by the shooting and extended his “thoughts and prayers” to Trump.
Mayor of Torrance: 'One individual's actions do not define our city'
The Mayor of Torrance, California, has said the city will "continue working closely with our public safety partners" after reports that the shooting suspect is a resident.
The FBI and Secret Service are at a home believed to be associated with Cole Tomas Allen in Torrance, a city of around 140,000 residents in California’s South Bay, about 15 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles.
"We are aware of reports identifying the suspect as a resident of Torrance," the city’s mayor, George K. Chen said. "While that connection is deeply troubling, one individual's actions do not define our city."
Chen said that the city stands firmly against "political violence, extremism, and acts of hatred in any form."
Suspect stopped 'at first contact,' says Secret Service
The Secret Service said today that a "coward attempted to create a national tragedy," after gunfire at the White House Correspondents' dinner.
"He underestimated the protective capabilities of the U.S. Secret Service, and was stopped at first contact," Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn wrote in a statement posted on X.
"The strength of our layered security posture was evident, with a myriad of countermeasures still ahead," he added, before thanking Secret Service staff.
Suspect has no criminal record, was not on law enforcement radar
Officials have said the shooting suspect has no criminal record and was not on the radar of law enforcement in Washington, D.C.
The suspect was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, of Torrance, a federal official familiar with the case told NBC News.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Allen graduated from the California Institute of Technology, a prestigious private research university in Pasadena, California, in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. The school, commonly known as Caltech, confirmed it had a record of a student named Cole Allen who graduated in 2017.
The LinkedIn profile indicates he obtained his masters of science degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills in May 2025.
After graduating from Caltech, Allen worked for a year as a mechanical engineer, before becoming an independent video game developer and later also a part-time teacher at a company dedicated to helping high schoolers get into college, according to the LinkedIn profile.
A former high school volleyball teammate described Allen as a “borderline genius” and “super stable.”
FBI preparing to serve a search warrant at home in Torrance, California
The FBI and Secret Service are at a home believed to be associated with Cole Tomas Allen in Torrance, a city of around 140,000 residents in California’s South Bay, about 15 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles.
The FBI is preparing to serve a search warrant related to the incident at the dinner, said Bill Essayli, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California.
Allen, of Torrance, is suspected of opening fire at officers during the dinner, a federal official familiar with the case told NBC News.
Injured officer released from hospital, source says
The Secret Service officer struck by gunfire during a confrontation with the suspect at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner has been released from a hospital, a source said.
Trump said earlier tonight that the officer was "in very great shape" following the shooting because his ballistic vest likely protected him.
Chief Jeffery Carroll of Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department said the officer was taken to a hospital, where he was stabilized.
He said authorities believe the officer was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with a suspect who was taken into custody after breaching security at the event.
"We told him we love him and respect him," Trump said of the Secret Service officer at a news conference after the incident. "And he's a very proud guy and he's very proud of what he does."
Suspect identified as Cole Tomas Allen, federal official says
The suspect has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a federal prosecutor confirmed.
Allen, 31, is from Torrance, California, a federal official familiar with the case told NBC News.
Authorities and law enforcement sources previously said the suspect was a man in his 30s from California without a criminal record and someone unknown to police in Washington, D.C.
Torrance is a city of more than 147,00 people on the southwest coast of Los Angeles County and about 20 miles south of the city of Los Angeles' downtown.
Secret Service says agents' response shows the agency's strategy works
Secret Service Director Sean Curran said that the response to tonight's shooting showed that the agency's "multi-layered protection works."
"Tonight we saw exactly what our brave men and women do each and every day to protect our protectees," Curran said in a statement posted on X.
"I'm grateful to our partners that help assist us with building these sites and protecting these sites," Curran added.
Suspect is a man in his 30s from California, law enforcement officials say
The suspect arrested in the shooting has been tentatively identified as a man in his early 30s from California, two law enforcement officials said.
Officials have publicly said he has no criminal record and was not on the radar of law enforcement in Washington, D.C.
Law enforcement tackled the suspect to the ground
The suspect was "tackled to the ground" and handcuffed by law enforcement, Jeffery Carroll, interim police chief for the Metropolitan Police Department, said.
Law enforcement officials restraining a suspect inside the Washington Hilton Hotel on Saturday night. Alex Brandon / AP
Carroll said the suspect was not struck by gunfire in the altercation, but did exchange shots with an officer who was struck.
The suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives, Carroll said.
Suspect believed to be a guest at the Washington Hilton
Police said it's believed the suspect was a guest at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the White House Correspondents' Association dinner was being held.
"So preliminary information, we do believe he was a guest here at the hotel. We have secured a room here in the hotel, and again, we'll go through the appropriate procedures to determine what was inside there," Carroll said.
He said that room is secure, and stressed the suspect is believed to have acted alone.
Suspect will be arraigned in federal court Monday
The suspect is being charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and a second crime of assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, Jeanine Pirro, U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., said.
Pirro said he will be arraigned on Monday in federal court.
"It is clear, based upon what we know so far, this individual was intent on doing as much harm and as much damage as he could," Pirro said.
Pirro added that "there will be many more charges based upon the information that we are learning in this very fluid situation."
Law enforcement exchanged gunfire with suspect, police say
Law enforcement officers exchanged gunfire the suspect tonight at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, but the man was not struck, said Jeff Carroll, interim police chief for the Metropolitan Police Department.
He said the man ran through a Secret Service checkpoint in the hotel lobby and was "intercepted" by Secret Service personnel.
"At this point, we do know that law enforcement exchanged gunfire with the individual," Carroll said, noting that officials believe the man fired at officers.
Though the man was not shot, he was taken to a local hospital, Carroll said.
A Secret Service uniform division officer was struck in his vest, Carroll said, and transported to a local hospital for treatment. He described the officer as being in "good spirits."
Suspect was armed with a shotgun, handgun and multiple knives, interim D.C. police chief says
The suspect charged a U.S. Secret Service checkpoint in the hotel's lobby with multiple weapons, interim Metropolitan Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said at a news conference tonight.
"He was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives," Carroll said. "As he ran into that checkpoint, members of law enforcement from the United States Secret Service intercepted that individual."
Gunman charged Secret Service checkpoint, acted alone, Bowser says
A sole gunman rushed a Secret Service checkpoint in the lobby of the Washington Hilton hotel tonight at about 8:36 p.m., Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a news conference.
"Secret Service agents stopped the suspect. An agent was injured and transported to a local hospital, where the agent is receiving care," Bowser said.
Bowser said that the suspect was transported to a local hospital where he is being evaluated. The mayor said that officials "have no reason to believe at this time that anyone else was involved."
"As you know, we are so very thankful to members of law enforcement who did their jobs tonight and made sure that all guests were safe," Bowser said.
Trump shares security video of suspect
Trump shared on Truth Social video of the suspect at tonight's White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
In the clip, a person is seen running through a hallway where several security personnel are standing. After he runs by, at least seven law enforcement personnel draw their guns and charge after him.
A photograph shared on President Donald Trump's Truth Social account of the suspect who was apprehended on Saturday. via Truth Social
Secret Service director warned earlier this month of a 'significant uptick' in threats
U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran told members of Congress earlier this month that there had been a significant rise in threats just this month.
"Just in the last 10 days, we've seen a significant uptick in threat cases. We're going to need more resources to keep pace," Curran told a House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
The Secret Service sits within DHS, which has been shut down since mid-February because of divisions among lawmakers over funding for immigration enforcement purposes.
"I've taken a hard look of what we need, listened to internal and external reviews, and compared our past requirements to today's threats. The president's budget is a good step forward, but there's still more to do," Curran said. "Last year, we conducted 7,182 protective visits, and we are on pace to exceed that this year. These numbers are astronomical."
Gunshot sounded 'like a tray going down,' Trump says
Trump said that when he first heard the gunshot, he "thought it was a tray going down."
"I heard a noise and sort of thought it was a tray. I thought it was a tray going down," Trump said. "I've heard that many times, and it was a pretty loud noise, and it was from quite far away."
The president said that "some people really understood that pretty quickly. Other people didn't."
"I was watching to see what was happening, probably should have gotten down even faster," Trump said. "Melania was very cognizant, I think, of what happened. I think she knew immediately what happened. She was saying, 'That's a bad noise.'"
A still taken from video showing President Donald Trump being escorted out of the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday night. Bo Erickson / Reuters
The president said the man “hadn’t reached the area at all” and was “quite far away."
“He charged from 50 yards away, so he was very far away from the room," Trump said.
"He was moving, he was really moving," the president continued. "And the reaction time was great, boy. Those guys, they had their guns drawn. Literally, by the time he was there, they were shooting. I thought they were very impressive."
Suspect alive, being treated for injuries
The suspect is alive, was taken into custody and is being treated for injuries, according to two law enforcement officials.
A third law enforcement official said the suspect was at an area hospital with injuries related to being subdued.
Trump says suspect had 'multiple weapons'
Trump said in his remarks that the suspect had "multiple weapons" outside the White House Corespondents' Association dinner ballroom.
FBI Director Kash Patel said that the shooter had a "long gun" and "shell casings" were found at the scene.
No other details were provided about the suspect's weapon or weapons.
Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images
Trump planned a 'rough' speech tonight, will be 'very nice' for next dinner
Trump said he planned a "rough" speech tonight, but given what happened tonight his speech at the next event will “probably very nice.”
“I am ready, willing and able, and I was all set to really rip it,” he said on his speech planned for tonight.
“I’ll be very boring the next time, but we’re going to have a great event,” he said.
Trump: 'I fought like hell to stay' at White House Correspondents' Dinner
Trump said he wanted to stay at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, but law enforcement concerns took precedence.
“We wanted to stay tonight," Trump said. "I will tell you, I fought like hell to stay.” However, he said, law enforcement argued that it was safest to cancel the dinner.
Trump said tonight's shooting was "rather traumatic" for first lady Melania Trump, and he praised law enforcement for the quick response.
"There was a lot of action taking place up there very quickly. But, again, the response time was really incredible and we’re going to reschedule," he promised."We’re going to do it again."
Trump stressed: "We’re not going to let anybody take over our society. We’re not going to cancel things out, because we can’t do that."
FBI Director Kash Patel calls for anyone with information to submit tips
FBI Director Kash Patel said in his remarks that his agency has "rapidly deployed" onto the scene and took over the evidence response unit "examining all the ballistics."
Patel said that this includes a "long gun and the shell casings."
Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images
"We are conducting witness interviews as we speak," said Patel, who called on anyone with information to submit tips to the FBI.
"No piece of information is too small, no piece of information is inadequate. We will evaluate it all. We will also be conducting interviews of those that were there, and if any of those individuals have information," he said.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says he expects multiple charges to be filed 'shortly'
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke from the briefing room, saying that the investigation is "ongoing" and that he expects "charges filed shortly."
"The charges should be self-evident, given the conduct, but as you'll hear, there will be multiple charges around the shooting, around the possession of firearms, and anything else that we can get get on this guy," Blanche said.
He added: "There is federal law enforcement already working on search warrants and doing their job, and I don't want to get ahead of them."
Trump says suspect has been captured
Trump said the man thought to be responsible has been captured, adding that he is believed to be from California.
"The man has been captured. They've gone to his apartment," Trump said.
"I guess he lives in California, and he's a sick person, a very sick person, and we don't want things like this to happen," the president continued.
Trump describes moment when a man charged a security checkpoint at dinner
Trump said in his remarks from the White House briefing room that a man charged a security checkpoint "armed with multiple weapons" at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
"He was taken down by some very brave members of Secret Service, and they acted very quickly," Trump said.
The president said he had just posted on social media video of the suspect, whom he called a "thug," saying he "attacked our Constitution."
He began his remarks with saying the incident was "very unexpected but incredibly acted upon by Secret Service and law enforcement."
One officer was shot from a 'very close distance' and is 'doing great,' Trump says
One Secret Service agent was shot "from a very close distance with a very powerful gun" but was "saved" by his bulletproof vest, Trump said during a news conference.
Mandel Dgan / AFP via Getty Images
"I just spoke to the officer and he's doing great," Trump said, adding that the officer is in "great shape" and in "very high spirits."
The president said he told the officer "we love him and respect him. And he's a very proud guy."
"He's very proud of what he does, a Secret Service agent," Trump said.
Trump says tonight he 'saw a room that was just totally unified'
In his first public remarks since tonight's security incident, Trump described the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner as an evening of unity between the press and both sides of the political aisle.
“I saw a room that was just totally unified,” he said.
Trump later asked the public to "resolve our differences."
"In light of this evening’s events, I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts and resolving our difference peacefully," he said. "We have to resolve our differences."
"I will say, you have Republicans, Democrats, independents, conservatives, liberals and progressives. Those words are interchangeable, perhaps, but maybe they’re not," he continued. "There was a record-setting group of people, and there was a tremendous amount of love and coming together. I watched, I watched, and I was very, very impressed by that."
WATCH: NBC News special report on Trump being evacuated from White House Correspondents' Association dinner
Here's what we know about the security incident that caused Trump to be evacuated from the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz thanks Scalise for pulling him into secure room at dinner
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., wrote in a post on X that he was at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
"I want to thank law enforcement, Capital police. I personally want to thank Steve Scalise who grabbed me into a secure room," he wrote.
Scalise, the House majority leader, was shot and severely wounded in a 2017 shooting at a congressional baseball practice for Republican members of Congress.
Moskowitz represents Florida's 23rd Congressional District, home to Parkland, where a major school shooting happened in February 2018.
What kind of security do you go through to get into the White House Correspondents' Association dinner?
There are two separate entrances in which people come in for the White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel.
There's the entrance that's at the front of the building, and then there's a side entrance, through which VIPs are often brought, as they are allowed to bring their cars right up to there.
This is still a fully functioning hotel. There are people who are staying there — visitors to Washington, D.C., who just happened to have hotel rooms in the Washington Hilton on this particular night.
Stefani Reynolds / Bloomberg via Getty Images
But in order to get past that entrance point, you had to show some form of credential: a ticket or perhaps a hotel key card if you were staying in the hotel separately.
I had my ticket, and you had to show that to people before you walked through the entrance, and they checked every single person that walked by. They had bike racks kind of lined up along the roundabout before you walked in. You had to show them the credential, but there were no magnetometers there.
Then you walk into the Hilton itself, and there was no sort of security screening when you walk in from there — it's kind of a wide-open situation. There are a number of different organizations that have three parties at different ballrooms and different spots around the Hilton.
The ballroom itself is downstairs, so you have to go down a set of escalators or stairs to get to essentially the basement level of the Hilton, and that's where the main red carpet is, as well. There is a parade of people coming through in front of the red carpet, getting their pictures taken.
It's not until you get to the ballroom itself that you actually go through any sort of metal detector or magnetometers, and that is on the same level as the ballroom. So, once you get passed through that magnetometer, there's another little reception area, and then there's another set of stairs that then get you into the ballroom itself.
Speaker Johnson says he and his wife are safe after being evacuated from the dinner
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a post on X that he and his wife, Kelly, were at the event tonight and are "thankful no innocent people were harmed and everyone is now safe."
Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
"We’re grateful as always for the law enforcement and first responders who acted so quickly to bring the situation under control," Johnson wrote. "Praying for our country tonight."
NBC News saw Johnson and his wife being ushered out of the ballroom by Secret Service just moments after gunfire was heard at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
Event wraps with attendees escorted out
The event is wrapping up with attendees being escorted out.
The crowd is being funneled through one set of doors and onto one set of escalators.
Ulysse Bellier / AFP via Getty Images
Some attendees grabbed bottles of alcohol placed on tables as part of the dinner and are imbibing while in transit away from the event.
The ballroom is several floors below ground, and there are several sets of escalators to take.
Incident occurred at same Hilton hotel where President Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981
The incident tonight occurred inside the same Hilton hotel outside of which President Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981.
The White House Correspondents' Association dinner is held annually at the Washington Hilton in Northwest D.C., which hosts a range of other major events throughout the year, including others attended by the president.
Elizabeth Frantz / Reuters
Reagan was shot in March 1981 outside of the same hotel as he left an event for the AFL-CIO. The shooter, John Hinckley Jr., fired a .22 caliber revolver at the president and his Secret Service detail, according to the Reagan Presidential Library & Museum.
Reagan was in the hospital for 12 days, according to the library.
His White House press secretary, James Brady, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and a police officer were also wounded during the shooting.
Trump is back at the White House
Trump is back at the White House. He left the Hilton hotel just after 8:45 p.m.
The presidential motorcade returning to the White House on Saturday night. Nathan Howard / Getty Images
White House Correspondents' Association president: 'We will do this again'
White House Correspondents' Association President Weijia Jiang said in emotional remarks from the podium that Trump will hold a briefing at the White House in 30 minutes and that the association will redo the dinner another time.
"The president will be having a press briefing at the White House in 30 minutes. That is not a joke, and he insists that we will reschedule this event in the next 30 days," she told attendees.
She added: "I said earlier tonight that journalism is a public service, because when there is an emergency, we run to the crisis, not away from it. And on a night when we are thinking about the freedoms in the First Amendment, we must also think about how fragile they are."
"Thank God everybody is safe," she said, adding, "We will do this again."
FBI says National Capital Response Squad responded to shooting and 'subject' is in custody
The FBI’s Washington field office said that its National Capital Response Squad responded to the shooting at the Washington Hilton and that a subject is in custody.
Trump says he is leaving the hotel, will give a news conference shortly
Trump said on Truth Social that he will be leaving the Washington Hilton hotel "immediately" because of guidance from law enforcement and will give a news briefing at the White House shortly.
"Law Enforcement has requested that we leave the premises, consistent with protocol, which we will do, immediately," Trump wrote. "I will be giving a press conference in 30 minutes from the White House Press Briefing Room."
"The First Lady, plus the Vice President, and all Cabinet members, are in perfect condition," Trump continued.
He added that he has spoken with the representatives in charge of tonight's dinner and that the event will be rescheduled within 30 days.
Crowd jumped under tables and Secret Service agents escorted Cabinet members to safety
I was sitting next to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Energy Secretary Chris Wright when they noticed a commotion.
It was sort of a small platoon of Secret Service agents and law enforcement, all armed, rushing down the middle of the ballroom toward the dais where the president was.
At this point, we all sort of jumped under the table, including Rubio, but he was really concerned about his wife, who was across from him at our table, and also looking at Trump, as well, because it was unclear what was happening. We were very close to Trump.
Nobody at our table whom I had spoken to had heard gunshots.
After the Secret Service took control of the situation, agents went table to table to get to each Cabinet member.
The first one I saw that they were able to get out was Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., along with his wife, and then they picked up Rubio.
Some dinner guests were escorted out of the venue
Anyone who got upstairs, where it appears the incident occurred, was evacuated out the main doors of the hotel and down the block, and they are being kept here by D.C. police, who have secured the entire perimeter around the Washington Hilton.
Ken Cedeno / Reuters
Trump is still inside, as we're getting reports from the press pool who travels with him that they never left. They were essentially kept in a hold room in the hotel, which hosts this and other high-profile events like it. This is something that the Secret Service, D.C. police and the other law enforcement agencies that protect the president know well and know how to secure.
Police are trying to keep folks on the sidewalk. We're in a situation now in which you can probably hear the helicopters overhead.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum was approached by Secret Service, told to get onto the ground
NBC News spoke with a witness who said they heard what they believe sounded like at least one or two gunshots from a room adjacent to the ballroom, possibly above it.
Authorities have not confirmed that shots were fired, but that's what, according to a witness, was heard very distinctly. Others have described it as vibrations.
I can tell you that from my vantage point, I was sitting at the same table with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. Secret Service agents approached him very quickly and told him to get on the ground.
Other journalists in the vicinity, as well as I, got on the ground. I did not hear any gunshots or anything that sounded like them. It was just an incredibly sudden interruption to the evening.
This is, of course, a very significant night here in Washington: It's the first time Trump has attended this dinner while in office.
There was high anticipation about what he would say. But again, this evening was interrupted very, very suddenly, and we are just now trying to sort out what happened and whether this dinner will continue now that the president has been evacuated.
Many empty seats inside the Hilton ballroom, but dinner service is starting
There are many empty seats in the ballroom as dinner service is beginning.
An announcer said, “We will have an update from the podium.”
Many of the people who left the ballroom are unable to get back in.
Secret Service investigating 'shooting incident,' one individual is in custody and 'all protectees' are safe
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement on X that the agency is "investigating a shooting incident near the main magnetometer screening area at the White House Correspondents' Dinner."
"The president and the first lady are safe along all protectees. One individual is in custody. The condition of those involved is not yet known, and law enforcement is actively assessing the situation," Guglielmi said.
The Secret Service is coordinating with D.C. police on the investigation, Guglielmi said.
Trump says a 'shooter has been apprehended' at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner
Trump just wrote on Truth Social that a shooter has been apprehended at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
"Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely. 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 wrote in a post.
"They will make a decision shortly. Regardless of that decision, the evening will be much different than planned, and we’ll just, plain, have to do it again," he said.
It is the first White House Correspondents' Association dinner he has attended as president.
Agents seen with guns out while people were 'screaming and running'
The White House Correspondents' Association pool reported that members were told to get out of the way outside the ballroom and that several people were seen "screaming and running out."
"Service is telling us to stay back, but we're not moving out of the building," the report said.
At 8:37 p.m., agents moved Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to a room, the report said.
"Many agents around us have guns pulled," it said.
Andrew Harnik / Getty Images
Rep. Raskin said he was knocked to the ground for his safety amid shots fired
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said Secret Service agents knocked him to the ground for his safety when shots rang out.
He said he was walking toward a table used by NBC News personnel at the dinner when he was tackled.
Guests told the dinner will resume
“We will be resuming shortly,” a man at the microphone on the dais said just before 9 p.m.
The room rippled with shock and surprise at the announcement. Many people in the room felt unsure that that's the right move.
People ducked under tables when Secret Service rushed into ballroom with guns
When Secret Service agents rushed into the ballroom with guns, some people ducked underneath tables.
Journalists were standing up and were on their phones afterward trying to figure out what had happened.
There were a few chants of “USA, USA” and others shushed the cheers.
Attendees hide under tables Saturday night. Nathan Howard / Getty Images
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro says she heard the sound of 'shots fired'
Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., said she was "taken out" of the main ballroom "after the sound of the shots fired."
“The Secret Service is now in charge of this building, this hotel," she said, adding that she has spoken with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. Police Chief Jeffery Carroll.
It was not immediately clear whether shots were fired or where the sound was coming from.
A look inside the ballroom after Trump was escorted out
Video inside the ballroom shows agents rushing people off the stage and armed and helmeted law enforcement officers taking over the stage and scanning the room.
Attendees reported several loud bangs before evacuation
Trump and other high-ranking administration officials were abruptly evacuated from the room at the White House Correspondents’ Association’s annual dinner tonight following a security incident.
Secret Service agents swarmed the ballroom at the Washington Hilton hotel, where some reporters, administration officials and dignitaries ducked under their tables amid the confusion.
It was not immediately clear what prompted security to stop the event and usher Trump out of the room. Other attendees remain in the ballroom.
Some reported several loud bangs, but they were unable to place them or identify the source.
Secret Service agents rush Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. out after loud bangs were heard during the dinner. Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images
Dinner to resume
Dinner and the night's program for the White House Correspondents' Association dinner are to resume, journalist Weijia Jiang announced from a lectern.
"Our program is going to resume momentarily," she said. "We will have more details to share, also momentarily."
Trump evacuated from White House Correspondents' Association dinner
Agents draw their guns after loud bangs were heard during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton on Saturday. Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images
Trump was evacuated from the stage of the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. It's not immediately clear why.
The Secret Service and Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment for more information. The FBI deferred comment to the Secret Service.
