A video captured inside the ballroom of the Washington Hilton hotel shows the moment when Secret Service agents storm the venue and order guests to get down during the shooting that interrupted the 105th Annual White House Correspondents' Dinner, held on Saturday, April 25, in Washington D.C.
In the images, one can see how the agents quickly move between the tables and instruct those present to lower their heads. Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, along with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin—who were sharing a table—ducked down along with almost all the attendees before being evacuated from the venue.
Journalist Steven Nelson from the New York Post posted the video on X and described the scene: "Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, along with almost everyone present, ducked down before being evacuated."
Witnesses located at the back of the hall reported hearing what sounded like four shots before agents stormed into the ballroom. Some reported that gunpowder could be smelled in that area of the venue.
The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time, when approximately 2,600 attendees were dining in the main hall. An armed man burst into the building's lobby, near the metal detectors, and opened fire before being able to access the interior.
The suspect, identified as a 31-year-old teacher from Torrance, California, was armed with a shotgun, a pistol, and several knives. He was subdued and arrested by the Secret Service before reaching the room where officials and journalists were gathered.
A Secret Service agent was injured in his bulletproof vest during the confrontation, was hospitalized, and survived without serious consequences.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were evacuated from the stage within seconds. At 9:17 p.m., Trump posted on Truth Social: "The shooter has been apprehended."
In a press conference held early Sunday morning at the White House, Trump described the incident: "A man charged at a checkpoint with multiple weapons and was neutralized," and praised the actions of the Secret Service.
Among the other evacuated officials were Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. Cuban-American Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar, who was present as a guest of NBC, took shelter under a table and posted a video on Facebook recounting her experience.
The FBI raided the suspect's home in Torrance that same night, and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced imminent charges for gunfire, illegal possession of firearms, and assault on an officer. This incident is considered the third attack or close threat to Trump since 2024, with the most serious being the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.
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