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United States President Donald Trump and officials in his administration were the likely targets of a suspect who fired at a security agent guarding the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, US Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Sunday.
The incident occurred at the Washington Hilton — the same hotel where Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded in a 1981 assassination attempt — adding to the gravity of the situation at a venue long associated with high-level political gatherings. Over the years, the hotel has also hosted Pakistani leaders, including Pervez Musharraf, Benazir Bhutto, and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
As the sound of shots rang out in the ballroom hosting the dinner, gala attendees, including members of the press, their family members, and government officials immediately fell silent, CNN reported. It was only when security charged into the room, and people started screaming, “Get down, get down!”, that guests dove under tables to take cover.
The suspect — who was armed with a shotgun, handgun and knives, according to CNN — had charged a checkpoint at the hotel, opening fire at a Secret Service agent, before being tackled and arrested. Secret Service Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the shooting took place near the main screening area at the entrance of the event.
