The Cuban-American congresswoman María Elvira Salazar experienced firsthand the shooting that interrupted the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night at the Washington Hilton in Washington D.C. Upon returning home, she posted a video on Facebook recounting the tense moments she faced during the incident.
"I just got home from the White House Correspondents' Party, where the shooting took place. Thankfully, the president is okay. Thanks to the Secret Service and the Washington police, no one is injured," Salazar declared in the video.
The Republican representative for Florida's District 27 explained that she was very close to the door when she heard the gunshots, and her experience as a war journalist allowed her to recognize the sound immediately.
"I was very close to the door and heard the shooting, I heard the sound of the gunfire. Having covered the war, I know how gunfire sounds. I said, this is a shooting, and I realized the panic that ensued, and we all got under the table, everyone who was at the NBC table," he recounted.
Salazar attended the event as a guest of the NBC network and publicly thanked her hosts for the invitation.
According to the investigation dossier, the shooter fired at least six times near the security magnetometer area around 8:40 p.m. before being taken down by the police. Subsequent reports indicate that the suspect died in the incident. No additional victims among the attendees were reported.
The president Donald Trump, the First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and cabinet members were evacuated by the Secret Service. Trump remained in a secure area within the hotel and left for the White House around 9:45 p.m.
That same night, Trump announced on his social media the capture of the shooter and called for a press conference at the White House.
Salazar also highlighted that the president stated that the correspondents' event would be rescheduled within a period of 30 days.
"Thank God no one is injured, there has been a happy ending and the president says that within the next 30 days the celebration will continue. Still, it has been a difficult moment. But thank God, it ended well," the congresswoman noted.
In his written publication, Salazar also reflected on press freedom by recalling his more than 35 years as a journalist before entering Congress, and emphasized the importance of honest, fact-based journalism.
The Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police of Washington have launched an investigation into the incident, which occurs weeks after shots were reported near Lafayette Park on April 5, with no injuries reported at that time.
"Today more than ever, I am grateful to those who protect our nation," concluded Salazar in her message on Facebook.
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