US President Donald Trump and other senior leaders were evacuated by the Secret Service agents from an annual dinner of White House correspondents on Saturday night after an unspecified security incident. There were no immediate injuries.
It was not immediately clear what happened, but a law enforcement official indicated that a shooter had opened fire, news agecy Associated Press reported.
Panic broke out inside the Washington Hilton banquet hall as Secret Service personnel and other authorities rushed in, with many of the 2,600 attendees taking cover under tables amid shouts to get down. Shouts of “Out of the way, sir!” and calls to duck were heard, AP reported.
Several people present said they heard what sounded like five to eight gunshots. The venue, packed with prominent journalists, celebrities and senior government officials awaiting Trump’s address, was swiftly cleared. National Guard personnel were deployed inside, while those exiting were barred from re-entry. Security in the surrounding area was also tightened following the security incident.
Among those attending the event were Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, AP reported.
A White House aide said Donald Trump was safe and no injuries were reported, Reuters reported.
