Intense video footage shows White House Correspondents Dinner attendees ducking for cover Saturday not far from where President Donald Trump had been seated onstage.
The crowd inside the Washington Hilton hotel heard shots being fired in the vicinity, and CBS News video footage showed officers moving onto the stage shouting “Clear! Clear!” moments later. The video appeared to show U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the table with his wife.
Tables were heard falling over and glass breaking during the tense moments when the U.S. Secret Service and police walked through the room, making sure everyone was safe.
Everyone in the room helped each other to safety, and moments into the clip U.S. Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth was also spotted evacuating the room:
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were swiftly escorted out of the ballroom as officers assessed the situation, according to Breitbart News.
More footage showed the moment the shots rang out while President Trump and the First Lady were in their seats onstage, waiting for the program to begin. Several loud booms were heard before they were evacuated:
Another clip caught a closer view of the moment Trump and the First Lady were shielded by officers for protection and moved off the stage:
According to Fox News, Trump was not escorted away from the premises.
“We’re told by his detail someone tried to get through the mags with a gun. The counter assault team did their job (unclear what that means) and the subject is now offsite. POTUS was evacuated to a hold — the rest of us from the head table are down the hall from him. Secret service had to determine if there were any other threats, we are being told there are no threats. The building is NOT being evacuated. We are waiting for staff to reset head table to resume the program,” the outlet said.
Trump later said the shooter was apprehended and wanted to continue with the program but deferred to police in that regard.
“Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely. The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we “LET THE SHOW GO ON” but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement. They will make a decision shortly. Regardless of that decision, the evening will be much different than planned, and we’ll just, plain, have to do it again. President DONALD J. TRUMP,” he wrote in a social media post.
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