How many guests were at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner when the shooting occurred?
Gunman Cole Thomas Allen opened fire at a lobby checkpoint during the White House Correspondents' Dinner. The attack prompted the evacuation of President Trump and forced roughly 2,600 attending guests to take cover under their tables.
A packed ballroom
The annual media gala took place in the cavernous main ballroom of the Washington Hilton. The event attracted approximately 2,600 attendees, including senior administration officials and top journalists.
Trump's first appearance
President Donald Trump was seated at the head table on the main stage. This marked his first time attending the prestigious media dinner as a sitting president.
The lobby checkpoint breach
While the 2,600 guests were seated inside, Cole Thomas Allen rushed an outer Secret Service checkpoint in the hotel lobby. He was armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives.
Shots fired at security
Allen fired his weapon at close range, striking a Secret Service agent. The officer survived because the round was stopped by his bullet-resistant vest.
Panic inside the hall
Guests inside the hall heard loud pops that sounded like breaking plates. As armed guards rushed the stage, hundreds of the 2,600 attendees immediately took cover under their dinner tables.
Swift presidential evacuation
Secret Service agents swiftly surrounded Trump and evacuated him from the stage. First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance were also moved to secure holding areas.
A lone attacker apprehended
Law enforcement tackled Allen to the ground before he could bypass the outermost security layer. Police confirmed he acted alone and never breached the room containing the 2,600 guests.
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