Gunshots at White House Correspondents' Dinner Send 2,000 Guests Under Tables
Gunshots rang out during Saturday's White House Correspondents' Dinner, sending 2,000 guests including lawmakers diving under tables for safety. President Trump was evacuated from the annual press freedom event.
Gunshots disrupted Saturday's White House Correspondents' Dinner as 2,000 guests celebrating press freedom scrambled for cover in a basement ballroom.
"We thought that some of the plates for the dinner fell, and next thing you know, we all went under the table screaming," said Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who attended the event.
Witnesses described hearing "pow pow pow" sounds just as the dinner was starting. "Everyone just immediately went under the table and the chairs push out and everything on the table spilled over," said attendee Meyer.
President Trump was safely evacuated and later held a press conference from the White House. The shots were reportedly heard outside the underground ballroom where the annual dinner takes place.
The White House Correspondents' Dinner is Washington's biggest social event, bringing together politicians, journalists, and celebrities to celebrate press freedom. This year's incident represents a major security breach at what's typically a lighthearted evening.
This marks a serious security breach at one of Washington's biggest annual events, where top politicians and journalists gather. It raises new questions about safety at high-profile government functions.
Security investigation underway. Details about the shooter and motive are still emerging.
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