Trump posts WHCD footage of shooting suspect fleeing before arrest

Chaotic scenes unfolded inside the Washington Hilton after around five to eight shots were heard at about 8.30pm local time on Saturday during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner (WHCD), sending more than 2,600 guests and journalists ducking under dining tables and lying low on the floor in panic.

Footage from inside the ballroom showed armed Secret Service agents moving in to control the main stage and quickly evacuating US President Donald Trump, the First Lady and senior officials, including Vice President JD Vance and FBI Director Kash Patel, to a secure area.

Officers could be heard shouting, “Stay down!” across the venue.

According to sources, the chaos began when a person tried to carry a firearm through a metal detector at the security screening point outside the event.

Trump later posted on Truth Social that the gunman had been “apprehended”, adding that although there had been an effort to allow the event to continue, the venue had to remain under a security lockdown for a full safety inspection.

After the situation calmed, Trump posted a video clip on Truth Social showing the suspect trying to run quickly through a security checkpoint from one side to the other before being detained.

Photos from several media outlets also showed police and security officers deployed around the hotel.

Most guests were kept inside the banquet hall, while journalists at the scene reported live updates on their mobile phones from under dining tables.

BBC