Shooting Scare Disrupts White House Correspondents' Dinner; Trump Evacuated

AP file photo White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's remarks ahead of the White House Correspondents' Dinner have gone viral after a shooting scare disrupted the event. Speaking before the dinner, Leavitt had described the evening as "classic Donald Trump," saying it would be "funny" and "entertaining," and adding that "there will be some shots fired tonight in the room", a line that has since drawn widespread attention. "He is ready to rumble, I will tell you. This speech tonight will be classic Donald J Trump. It'll be funny, it'll be entertaining. There will be some shots fired tonight in the room. So everyone should tune in, it's going to be really great," Leavitt had said ahead of the event. US Secret Service agents swiftly evacuated US president Donald Trump from the stage after gunshots rang out during a media gala on Saturday evening, in what the president later described as an attempted assassination. According to officials, armed security personnel opened fire on the suspect, who had forced his way through a security checkpoint just outside the ballroom where Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, senior government officials and hundreds of guests had gathered. Panic erupted as guests dived under tables for cover while Secret Service agents rushed into the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton, creating chaotic scenes inside the high-profile event in the US capital. "A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, and he was taken down by some very brave members of the Secret Service," Trump said, addressing a press conference at the White House shortly after the incident. Trump said one officer was shot at close range but did not appear to be critically wounded. He raised concerns about security at the venue, which he described as "not a particularly secure" facility. Speaking at the news conference, Trump said he initially mistook the sound for a dropped tray before realising it was gunfire. He added that he intends to reschedule the media gala within a month despite the incident. City officials identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California, who is expected to be arraigned on firearm and assault charges on Monday. Authorities said he appeared to have been a guest at the hotel and was carrying a shotgun, a handgun and knives.